


Love Remains the Same

by angstytimelord



Category: Actor RPF, Hannibal (TV) RPF
Genre: Actor RPF - Freeform, Actors, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, First Time, Fluffity fluffy fluff, M/M, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Real Person Slash - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2017-12-13 21:51:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 40,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angstytimelord/pseuds/angstytimelord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mads has waited for nearly ten years to rekindle the brief passion he had with Hugh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Walked Love

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [Love Remains the Same (French)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4243164) by [JustAFrenchGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAFrenchGirl/pseuds/JustAFrenchGirl)



Mads stood at the front window of his house in Toronto, looking out at the night beyond. Would this be the night? Or would he go to bed alone yet again, waiting for a night that never came?

It didn't really matter that he had wanted Hugh for nearly ten years, since their first meeting on a film set, long ago and far away. There had been times when he wondered if Hugh even remembered him, though they had shared a brief kiss that had too quickly ended.

What would have happened between them if that kiss hadn't been interrupted?

He'd wondered about that many times over the years; he'd dreamed about that kiss, and about what it could have led to. There had been many nights when he'd awoken with the taste of Hugh's lips still fresh in his memory, and he'd ached to feel that slender body in his arms again.

Now they were working together once again, and they had been given a second chance. The only question that remained to be answered was whether they would take that chance, or back away from it without looking back and feeling regret.

He'd regretted letting Hugh go; it had been the biggest mistake of his life. Mads didn't intend to make that same mistake again. Not this time.

He could still remember how he'd felt at their first meeting, on the set of _King Arthur_ , when he had seen Hugh for the first time. His heart had tightened in his chest, and his body's reaction to the beautiful young man had been unmistakable.

It was more than simple lust, he told himself firmly. More than merely _wanting_.

Now that he was no longer married, he was free to pursue anyone he wanted. And Hugh was the one he had wanted for a very long time, even though they hadn't kept in touch after they'd worked on one film together. He wished that they had; but that was water under the bridge.

There was no room for regrets. He couldn't look back at all that they hadn't done, all that he'd denied himself. He should look to the future that they could build together.

That was, if Hugh wanted a future together as much as he did. At the moment, he had no way of knowing; they hadn't talked about their one brief encounter nearly ten years ago. It was almost as though it had never happened, existing only in his mind.

But it _had_ happened, and he had never forgotten it. Hugh had stayed in his mind -- and in his heart -- for all these years, a single shining moment that he held dear.

He could still remember the first moment that he'd seen Hugh, when their eyes had met and Hugh had smiled at him. In that moment, he had known that what he'd thought was love before paled in comparison to what he was feeling now. 

No one else had ever affected him in the way that Hugh had. No one else ever would.

They'd shared one brief kiss, the day before the end of filming; it was a kiss that he'd carried with him for nearly ten years, a kiss that had changed his life. He had never forgotten how Hugh felt, how he tasted; that kiss had stayed in his mind and in his heart.

How many times had he told himself that they weren't meant to be, that when Hugh had walked into his life, it was already too late for them? Too many times to keep track of, Mads thought ruefully. He had told himself that every day, every time he had thought of Hugh.

He'd thought that he was happy in the relationship he was in; and for a long time, he had been. He loved his former wife as a close friend, though he no longer had romantic feelings for her. And he loved his children deeply; they would always have his heart.

But once he'd met Hugh, he had known that there was something missing, that the door to his heart had never been fully opened before.

He had taken a chance and let that door swing open wide -- and in walked love, when he had least expected it, and before he'd really known that he was searching for that love.

Would things have been different for them then if he'd known? Mads couldn't be sure.

And there was no use in wondering about that, he told himself. The past was the past, and he had made the decision not to stay in touch with Hugh for all these years. But their friendship seemed not have diminished; they had fallen back into an easy camaraderie on the set.

Still, underneath that friendship was a sexual tension unlike anything he'd ever felt before; every day, as he watched Hugh on the set, he couldn't wondering if this would be the night when the younger man would show up at his door, and the past would coalesce into the future.

Mads didn't know just how it would happen; somehow, he had visions of the two of them melting into a kiss, with no words needed to explain how they both felt.

But the truth was, he didn't _know_ if Hugh felt the same way. He had seemed to at one time, but that was long ago. Maybe his feelings had changed, or maybe they had never been there to begin with. Maybe he had only imagined that they existed.

All he wanted was to have Hugh in his arms again, to let the other man know with a simple kiss just how he felt, that those feelings had never dimmed since that night nearly ten years ago.

Those feelings would never change, never die. He knew that now.

Reluctantly, Mads let the curtain fall back into place, turning away from the window. He'd been standing here for a long time, and there had been no sight of Hugh. This wasn't going to be the night that the past would return to him, if it ever did.

If Hugh didn't come to him, then he would find a way to talk to the younger man. He would try his best to rekindle what they'd only begun to discover, no matter what it took.

And if Hugh didn't feel the same way, then he would accept that fact, no matter how much it might hurt. But he knew that in his heart, he would carry the memory of that single impassioned kiss with him for the rest of his days, even if it was never repeated.

He couldn't make Hugh come to him; he could only hope that it would happen. But if he was lucky enough to have love walk back in through the open door of his heart, he wouldn't turn it away. He would welcome Hugh with open arms, and cherish him for the rest of their lives.

His body tensed when the doorbell rang, the sound seeming to echo in the quiet.

His heart leaped as the bell sounded again; he looked towards the front door, almost afraid to open it. He didn't want to face disappointment, but at the same time, the key to his future happiness could be standing there, just on the other side of that closed portal.

Mads approached the door; with a shaking hand, he reached out to open it, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips when he saw who stood there.

"Hello, Hugh. I'm glad you're here."


	2. If This Is Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh doesn't know if what he feels for Mads is love, but he intends to take the second chance they've been given to find out.

Hugh wasn't entirely sure of what he was doing.

He'd made up his mind that he _was_ going to Mads' house tonight, that they _would_ talk about what had happened between them so long ago, and decide if it had a place in their lives now. But he couldn't bring himself to take those first few steps.

Even though their one brief kiss had been far in the past, he could still taste Mads' lips on his if he closed his eyes, could still feel those arms around him. He'd never forgotten how that embrace had felt; even if he lived to be a hundred, it would always be with him.

He had been afraid of those feelings when he'd first felt them; everything had happened so quickly, and it had all been so intense.

He hadn't been ready for those feelings, completely unprepared for the electricity that had coursed through his body when Mads had laid those soft lips on his. He'd felt very small and fragile, disoriented, as though the world was moving too fast for him.

Was it love that he'd felt, or had it been mere desire? He still didn't know; he'd thought it was love at the time, but he'd been afraid of that savage intensity.

What would have happened if a drunken Ioan hadn't opened the door and made the two of them spring apart guiltily, as though they'd been doing something wrong?

He couldn't answer that question. He would never know.

It _hadn't_ been wrong, Hugh told himself firmly. He and Mads had been following their hearts, giving in to their feelings. There was nothing wrong with that -- though Mads had been married at the time, and he'd felt guilty about wanting a man who was already taken.

Now, things were different. He and Mads were both divorced and free; there was nothing standing in the way of them being together, if that was what they both wanted. Hugh had no doubt that _he_ wanted to be with Mads, but he had no idea how the other man felt.

What if the feelings that had seemed so intense nearly ten years ago were only on his side? What if he'd just been a momentary distraction for Mads?

He had seen the longing looks that the other man had tossed his way on the set of _Hannibal_ ; he wanted to believe that Mads still had feelings for him, that they could be together and make it work. But they had to talk to first, to know where each of them stood.

Hugh knew the folly of giving his heart too soon; he knew what it felt like to have his emotions trampled. And he wasn't going to risk having that happen to him again.

Once burned, twice shy, he thought with a wry smile.

Having his heart broken hadn't exactly made him feel as though he wanted to jump into another relationship, but there was something about Mads that drew him like the proverbial moth to a flame. He'd wanted Mads all those years ago -- and he still did.

Mads had been the only man who had ever kissed him, the only man who'd touched him. In the nearly ten years since that one brief kiss, he'd never wanted anyone else that badly.

And now, it seemed that fate had given them another chance to find out if that moment they'd shared had been love, or if it was merely a passing infatuation.

He hadn't expected Mads to still be so devastatingly attractive, even though he'd seen all the films that the other man had made in the years since they'd worked together. He hadn't expected to still feel those darting butterflies in his stomach when they looked at each other.

But he did. He still felt that unrestrained desire that made his entire body ache.

If this was love, then he'd never known any other but this one. No one had ever made him feel this way, the intensity of his emotions only growing stronger over the years.

He still wanted Mads, even more than he had on that long-ago night. He just had to have the courage to reach out for what he wanted, to let Mads know how he felt. He had to take the risk of having his heart broken again; he had to hold out that heart, let it be open and vulnerable.

Nothing could be harder for him to do. He'd learned to guard his heart, learned to keep his emotions locked tightly away. He didn't want to let them out again.

If he didn't, then he and Mads would never have that second chance he so desperately wanted. If he couldn't find the courage to hold his heart in his hands and offer it to the only man he'd ever wanted to give that heart to, then it would always be locked in chains.

As hard as it was, he _had_ to take those first few steps towards Mads. And if his heart was broken, then he had at least tried.

If he didn't go after what he wanted, he would never know if he could have it.

Taking a deep breath, Hugh stood up, running a hand through his hair. He had to go to Mads' house _now_ , while he still had the courage to do it. If he didn't go now, then that courage might desert him, and he'd be right back where he had started.

It didn't take long to get there; Mads lived just a few blocks from the hotel where Hugh was staying while they were filming. He had toyed with the idea of buying his own house here, but at the moment, he didn't know exactly where he wanted to settle down.

Just the thought of living here in Toronto on a permanent basis, in the same city that Mads was now living in, made his heart skip a beat. They were closer now than they'd ever been, at least as work colleagues. It remained to be seen if they would be close in another way.

He wanted Mads for a lover. He'd wanted that since their first kiss, but back then, he hadn't had the nerve to tell Mads just what he wanted. He'd been too scared.

Now, he was older, and more sure of what he wanted. There was no reason for him to hold back, no reason not to tell Mads exactly how he felt. He should have done that long ago; if he had, their lives might have been very different than they were today.

All he had to fear was having his heart broken.

Hugh closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. If that happened, then he would learn to live with it and move on. There was nothing else he could do.

The curtains were closed; somehow, he had hoped to see Mads at the window, or at least to see him moving around in the front room of the house. But there was nothing, no shadow cast by a moving figure. Mads might not even be at home.

Hugh almost wanted to turn around and go back to the hotel, but he didn't dare. Something told him that if he did, he would turn his back on his last chance to be with Mads, to tell the other man exactly how he felt. He wouldn't have this kind of courage again.

Maybe he had already waited too long. Maybe it was, even now, too late.

No, he told himself firmly. He wasn't going to believe that. Mads was there, in the house, possibly waiting for him and feeling the same way he did. The only way he would ever know was to walk up those front steps, ring the doorbell, and go inside.

If this was love, for both of them, then he had to know. He couldn't keep hesitating, couldn't keep holding back. He had to take a great risk if he wanted to receive an even greater reward.

Resolutely, he walked up the front steps, raising his hand to ring the bell. He only hesitated for a moment, then pressed it, hearing the sound reverberate inside the house. If Mads was here, he would be coming to the door and opening it at any moment.

After a moment, he rang the bell again, holding his breath as he did so.

It all came down to this. These few moments, the first seconds that would pass between them when Mads opened the door and saw him here. That would decide their fate; he would be able to tell by the look in Mads' eyes if he'd made the right decision by coming here.

The door swung open, and Mads was standing there in front of him, looking startled at first, then smiling at him with all the warmth of the sun.

"Hello, Hugh. I"m glad you're here."

He took a step forward, opening his mouth to speak and then closing it again. He didn't know what to say. All he knew was that he wanted to be here, wanted to feel Mads' arms around him, wanted to feel those lips on his, wanted to know that he'd done the right thing.

He reached out a trembling hand, searching his mind for words that would convey just how he felt. But there were none. His emotions were too strong to be expressed in mere words.

Then he was in Mads' arms, crushed against the other man's chest. Those lips were on his, just as soft and warm as he remembered them being.

And the rest of the world slipped away as he gave himself over to that long-awaited kiss.


	3. As Long As I Can Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads discovers that the reality of having Hugh in his arms again is far better than his dreams have ever been.

Their kiss was everything that Mads had thought it would be.

It didn't seem to matter that the last time he had kissed Hugh -- the only time before this -- had been nearly ten years ago. He still felt the same rush of desire, the same swelling of his heart. He still wanted this man more than he had ever wanted anyone.

He was finally kissing Hugh again, finally pulling that dream out of thin air and making it reality. And it was every bit as wonderful as he'd dreamed it would be.

He had never forgotten the sweet taste of Hugh's lips, and now it was no longer a dream, Those lips were a sweet, soft reality under his, their sweetness only more intensified by the long wait.

This was his dream come true, his every wish come to glorious life in his arms. This was what he had been dreaming about for such a long time, and he finally had it within his grasp. Now that he had Hugh, he never wanted to let him go.

But it was inevitable that he would have to; they couldn't stand here in the foyer holding each other forever. Sooner or later, their embrace would have to end.

Slowly, reluctantly, he released Hugh, not taking his gaze from the other man's face. He had to know just how Hugh looked, so see every emotions written on his features. He couldn't look away, not after he'd waited so long to be able to look into those eyes again.

Hugh was looking at him with wide eyes, his lips parted and slightly swollen from their kiss. Mads had never seen anyone look so beautiful, so desirable.

All he could think of was how badly he wanted to kiss Hugh again.

He couldn't stop himself from leaning in again and capturing Hugh's lips with his own. This time, Hugh's body seemed to melt into his, the younger man's arms sliding around his neck to pull him closer, his body moving closer until his chest was flush against Mads' body.

His arms tightened around Hugh; he found himself wishing that there was no barrier of clothes between them, that they could skip the part where they had to get to know each other all over again, and that Hugh could be naked in his bed.

No, that wouldn't be fair to either of them, Mads thought, reluctantly breaking the kiss and lifting his head to gaze into those blue eyes again. He and Hugh needed to walk before they could run; for all he knew, this wasn't going to work out as he wanted it to.

But he hoped it would. More than anything, he hoped that this was only the beginning for them. A beautiful second chance at love that fate had decided to gift them with.

"Wow," Hugh said softly, his voice breaking the silence. "I had the feeling you might want me to be here, but I didn't expect that kind of a greeting. I hope that happens every time I come over."

"It will," Mads said with a soft smile. "As long as you want it to."

"I don't think I'll ever stop wanting that," Hugh told him, his gaze direct and intense, riveted on Mads' face. "I've never stopped wanting it for almost ten years. I wanted it then, too -- I was just young and too scared to admit that what I felt for you wasn't wrong."

"It wasn't wrong," Mads assured him, shaking his head. "But it wasn't our time then, as much as it pains me to say so. I wasn't free to love you -- even though I did. And you were still too confused about who you were to be able to accept that love."

Hugh swallowed hard, his blue eyes widening. "Y-you .... loved me?" he whispered, the words sounding choked, as though he had a hard time saying them. "You were in love with me? You've been in love with me all this time, and you never said anything?"

"What could I say, Hugh?" Mads asked, his voice soft and gentle. "How could I have put what I felt into words, knowing that you weren't ready to hear them yet?"

Hugh nodded slowly, sighing softly as they each took a step back. "I guess you're right about that. I don't think I'd have turned you away as a friend, but I was too scared of what I felt for you to be able to accept that your feelings for me were just as intense."

"And now, there's nothing standing between us," Mads said, reaching out to brush a dark curl back from Hugh's cheek. It still amazed him how soft Hugh's skin was -- touching him was like touching velvet. Was every area of his body just as soft?

He desperately wanted to touch more than just Hugh's cheek. But he would have to hold himself back, and let Hugh make the first move towards being more physical.

Even now, he would wait. He didn't want to put this nascent relationship in any sort of jeopardy.

"I've dreamed about you," Hugh said abruptly, his gaze never leaving Mads' face. "Even when I was sleeping next to my wife, and trying to convince myself that I was in love with her and I was going to be with her for the rest of my life, you were the one in my dreams."

"And you were in mine," Mads told him, unable to resist running his fingertips along the stubbled line of Hugh's jaw, unable to stop touching him. "Every night, for all of those years. I kept myself that as long as I can dream, I can still hold a part of you in my heart."

To his surprise, Hugh's blue eyes filled with tears at his words.

"That wasn't meant to make you cry, love," he said softly, wishing that he could take the words back and replace them with something that wouldn't stir Hugh to such emotion. "It was meant to make you happy. I'd like to think that you're happy about those feelings."

"I am," Hugh choked out. "It's just .... so close to how I felt. I dreamed about you all the time, and I felt like I was holding a part of you in my heart. A part that nobody else could touch."

"You've always had my heart, Hugh," Mads told hm, stepping close to Hugh again and sliding his arms around the younger man's waist. "Even when I still felt that I belonged to someone else, it was always you who my heart reached out to. As long as I can dream, it always will."

"You don't have to dream any more," Hugh told him, his voice soft and breathy. "I'm right here, Mads. And I"m not going anywhere. Not ever again."

Mads wasn't entirely sure about that; there would be times when he and Hugh would have to be parted for work. After all, they wouldn't be working on this one television show forever -- and he knew all too well just how such separations could take their toll on a relationship.

But he and Hugh would find a way to make it work, even though it might not be easy.

"We'll make it work, love," was all he said, "We'll find a way. Now that I have you back in my life again, I won't let you go so easily a second time."

"I hope you won't ever let me go," Hugh whispered, resting his forehead against Mads' shoulder. "I've spent a long time feeling like I made a lot of bad decisions. This time, I'm going to make the right one. This is where I want to be. And I plan on staying here for the rest of my life."

Mads could feel his heart leap in his chest at Hugh's words; his dream was indeed coming true, in ways that he had never thought it could.

Hugh wanted to be here, to be with him. Even after all these years, their feelings for each other hadn't dimmed; they were as strong as ever, maybe even stronger. They belonged here, belonged together. This time, nothing wold tear them apart. This time, they were here to stay.

He didn't know what was going to happen in their future, or even in the rest of this evening. But he knew that he intended to make the most of the time that he and Hugh had together. It was time to stop dreaming and start living, to turn his dreams into reality.

He hoped with all of his heart that tonight would start them on that path


	4. The Way We Were

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads knows that he and Hugh can't go back to the way they were when they first met.

Mads led Hugh from the foyer into the living room, thinking regretfully that they probably wouldn't do much more tonight than share more kisses. Though after the long wait to be with Hugh again, those kisses would be more than welcome on his part.

He wanted nothing more from this evening than to be able to talk to Hugh about their future, to hold him, to kiss him, to let him know that he was loved. He really needed nothing more than that; a more physical intimacy could come later, when Hugh was ready for it.

He knew that Hugh wasn't the kind of man to jump into a relationship, especially when his marriage had ended suddenly, and quite recently. He wasn't going to push.

It was incredible that Hugh was here, that they were together again, and that Hugh seemed to feel the same as he did. Just having him here, being together, was more than enough for now. He didn't need to push things; they would come in their own good time.

Just having Hugh here beside him made him happier than he could express with words.

The two of them sat down on the couch, Hugh looking a little nervous. Mads smiled as he slid his arms around the younger man's waist, pulling Hugh close against him, raising one hand to run it through those dark, silken curls that he'd longed to touch.

How many times had he looked at Hugh on the set since they'd begun working together and wanted to touch him? And now, he finally could, to his heart's content.

"I don't want this to be .... awkward," Hugh said softly, his blue gaze fixed on Mads' face. "It was the first time, because I wasn't ready for what I felt. I guess in some ways, i'm still not ready. But I don't want to lose you again. If I have to jump in head first, I'm willing to do that."

"You don't have to do anything that you're not ready for, Hugh," Mads said softly, reaching out to run gentle fingers through the younger man's dark curls. "I'm not going to push you. I've waited all this time, surely I can wait a little longer until you're ready."

Hugh's smile was tremulous; Mads could tell that this had worried him, which was probably why Hugh had taken so long to come to him.

Was he that intimidating? Had Hugh somehow been _afraid_ to come to him?

He didn't like that thought; he didn't want to think that he could have somehow managed to frighten Hugh away from him all those years ago by wanting too much, too soon. If that was the case, then he would have to be even more careful now that he didn't do the same thing all over again.

Hugh cleared his throat, looking down at his hands clasped in his lap before looking up again and meeting Mads' gaze. "Do you want to go back to the way we were, Mads?"

Did he? Mads wasn't quite sure how to answer that question; if he was being brutally honest, then the answer would be no. He didn't want things to be the way they had been when he and Hugh had first met and shared that one glorious, soul-baring kiss.

At that point, Hugh had obviously been afraid of what he was feeling. It had been his first sensual encounter with a man, and he hadn't been sure of what he wanted. Mads didn't want to put him through that again; he didn't want Hugh to keep feeling uncomfortable.

No, he wanted them to move ahead, to take their relationship to the next level. It seemed that Hugh wanted that, too, but he was still hesitant, unsure.

"No," he answered slowly, shaking his head. "I don't believe that we _can_ go back."

He was surprised to see a look of relief cross Hugh's face; the younger man smiled, then let out the breath he'd obviously been holding. "I'm glad you said that. I don't think we can go back, either. We're obviously both older, and a lot more mature than we were then."

"Have you ...." Mads let his voice trail off, unsure of just how to phrase the question he had to ask. He didn't want to sound rude, but at the same time, he had to know if Hugh had been with any other men in the time that they'd been apart.

Did he really have the right to ask that question? he asked himself, taking a deep breath. He might not, and Hugh might be offended by it. But he _had_ to know. He couldn't bear the thought of Hugh having been with someone else, of another man being the first to love him.

"No." Hugh spoke softly, before Mads had a chance to get the question out. "I've never been with a man before. I've never wanted any other man but you. Ever."

Mads couldn't hold back his smile; he felt a sense of relief washing through his entire body, making his skin tingle. Hugh was still a virgin -- well, at least when it came to being with men. He had saved himself for all these years, even though he hadn't been obligated to do so.

"I guess I was saving myself for you," Hugh whispered, a blush suffusing his pale cheeks.

"There's nothing wrong with that, sweetheart," Mads murmured, brushing his lips across the softness of Hugh's cheek. "I'm flattered that you did. I ...." He sighed, shaking his head, glancing away from Hugh for a moment. "I can't say the same. I'm sorry."

"I wouldn't have expected you to," Hugh protested, shaking his head and frowning slightly. "You'd already been with other men before we met, hadn't you?"

Mads nodded, relieved again that Hugh seemed to understand him. Anyone else might have been angry at the thought that he hadn't waited for them, but Hugh wasn't that kind of man. He was the mots generous, giving person Mads had ever known.

"I wasn't in love with any of them," he said softly, his gaze meeting Hugh's again. "I always wanted you, Hugh. I never stopped thinking about you -- but I thought that we had gone our separate ways, and that there was no chance for us. I never expected this to happen."

"Neither did I," Hugh confessed, a slight smile curving his lips. "But I'm glad it did. I think I would have gotten back in touch with you either way, but working together made it easier."

"We would be doing ourselves a terrible disservice now if we tried to go back to the way we were when we first met," Mads said, thinking aloud. "We've both changed a great deal since then. We're both different people. And we need to move forward from the way we are now."

Hugh nodded, resting his head against Mads' shoulder. "That's just what I was thinking."

"Then we understand each other," Mads said softly, placing a finger under Hugh's chin to tilt the younger man's face upwards, so that they were looking at each other again. "And I think we should start with moving forward right now."

This time, when he kissed Hugh, he could swear that he felt butterflies being released inside his stomach; they seemed to flutter within him, making him feel nervous and shaky.

Kissing Hugh was even more delicious than he remembered -- and this time, unlike that first kiss, they were both much more experienced. That first tentative kiss had turned into an explosion of desire, and this one was no different; it was all the more intense for their years of waiting.

The kiss grew and deepened; Hugh's arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer. His own arms slid around Hugh's slender waist, until the younger man was crushed against him; Mads could feel each breath Hugh took, feel each beat of his heart.

He wanted to stay this close forever. He wanted to be even closer, with no barriers between them.

One hand went to the buttons on Hugh's shirt, shaking slightly as he began to work at the top one. They would indeed start moving forward tonight -- at a faster pace than they had bargained for.


	5. Precious Declaration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads hadn't thought he would hear those three little words from Hugh's lips so soon.

Mads made quick work of the buttons of Hugh's shirt, letting his lips follow his fingers downwards. He could hear Hugh's quick intake of breath, feeling the other man's stomach muscles tightening under his hands as his lips touched that soft, warm skin.

He knew exactly what he intended to do; he only hoped that Hugh wouldn't pull away from him. He'd dreamed about this for so long; he didn't want the other man to be afraid of the intimacy.

Slowly, he let his mouth trail to Hugh's chest, laving one soft nipple with his tongue. He wanted to nibble and suck at Hugh's nipples until the delicate pink buds were hardened, wanted to spend hours simply tasting him before he moved on to other areas of his body.

He glanced up at Hugh; the other man's eyes were closed, his head thrown back, cheeks flushed, lips parted. He'd never seen anyone look so utterly gorgeous.

He wanted more of Hugh every moment; he wanted _all_ of this man.

But he had to move slowly, Mads cautioned himself. He couldn't simply take Hugh; that wouldn't be fair to either of them. He had to stretch this seduction out, to make the first time they were together good for both of them. He had to make things perfect.

He wasn't going to take Hugh; not tonight. He wanted to work up to that; it didn't seem right to be too rushed, not when they had waited so long to find each other again.

Still, this would be a night that they could both look back on and treasure for the rest of their lives. Hugh wasn't going to lose his virginity tonight, but there were a lot of things that they could do that didn't involve penetration, things that they would both enjoy.

That was his goal for tonight, Mads thought with an inward smile. Simply to let the two of them become acquainted again, and to give them pleasure. Nothing else really mattered to him at the moment. It was all about making Hugh feel good.

He'd make himself feel good as well, just by being here with Hugh. Already his heart was singing; he felt as though a puzzle piece that had been missing within him for years had finally clicked into place. With Hugh in his arms, everything was as it should be.

He had dreamed of this for so long, and it was finally happening.

Mads was surprised that he didn't feel more nervous at the thought of finally being this close to Hugh. But any apprehension he might have felt seemed to have faded away, leaving only happiness in its wake.There was no nervousness, no hesitation.

There was only the two of them, sharing their bodies, and hopefully baring their souls. This was as it should be, as he had always wanted it to be.

He continued to play with Hugh's nipples until the tender pink buds were swollen and throbbing under his tongue; when he lifted his head, Hugh was watching him, that limpid blue gaze fixed on his face. He raised a hand to stroke Hugh's hair, wanting to reassure him.

His hands were resting on Hugh's hips; he didn't want to start unbuttoning and unzipping the younger man's jeans until he was partially undressed himself. After all, he didn't want to make Hugh feel uncomfortable, and being naked when his lover was still clothed might do that.

"I love you," Hugh whispered, the words very soft in the quiet room.

The words mads Mads' breath catch in his throat; he had hoped to hear them at some point, of course, but he hadn't thought that Hugh would make that precious declaration so soon, on their first night together after waiting so long for each other.

Those three little words opened up a world of possibilities; there was so much that lay ahead in their future, so much that Mads couldn't wait to share with the other man. Strange how three small words, three single syllables, could hold so much meaning.

"I love you, too," he heard himself saying, almost without realizing it. The words simply slipped out, coming from the depths of his heart and soul.

He _did_ love Hugh. He'd loved him for all these years, even though they hadn't seen each other for a very long time. He had kept that shining image of their one kiss in his heart, and it had kept him going for far longer than he'd ever dreamed it could.

He didn't take those words lightly. He knew that saying them bound him to Hugh in a way that couldn't be denied; those words weren't something that could be tossed away or forgotten. They were words that should never be said unless they were the absolute truth.

He would never regret saying them. Not this time.

Mads lowered his head again, this time to brush his lips against the softness of Hugh's mouth. He could feel the other man draw in his breath, as though being kissed so sweetly, so gently, was a new experience for him. That acquiescence sent a wave of pleasure through his body.

It probably _was_ a new experience for Hugh to be kissed by a man. After all, he _had_ said that he hadn't been with any other man in all this time.

"I love how you kiss me," Hugh murmured, a slight blush suffusing his cheeks. "Nobody's ever kissed me like that before. Like they ...." His voice trailed off; he shook his head, as though he was searching for words. "Like they _own_ me. Like I belong to them."

"Do you like being kissed that way?" Mads asked, curious as to what Hugh's response would be. Most men didn't take well to the thought of someone claiming them.

But, of course, Hugh wasn't most men. He was simply Hugh, the one person Mads had ever wanted with the kind of desire that only grew stronger through the years, a desire that never faded, never died. Hugh wasn't like anyone else he had ever known.

"I do," Hugh answered, his lips curving in a soft smile. "Maybe I just like it because it's you."

"Maybe so," Mads murmured, feeling his throat tighten. Hugh was placing so much trust in him; he couldn't let that trust be misplaced. He had to take things very slowly, to be sure that Hugh was ready, to make sure that there was never a misstep in their relationship.

He wanted to give this man everything that it was possible to give; he wanted to have Hugh in his arms and in his heart forever. 

And, of course, in his bed as well.

He wanted to hear that precious declaration from Hugh's lips every day of their lives together, and he wanted to say it back, with equal fervor. At the moment, the words "I love you" were the only ones that came to his mind, the only words that he could think of to say.

"I love you." He repeated the words over and over, between kisses, until Hugh moaned softly, a wordless sound that made a shiver run down Mads' spine. He wanted to hear that soft moan every night for the rest of his life, wanted to know that Hugh felt the same pleasure he did.

The precious declaration would come from his own lips every night, just as it did from Hugh's. There would never be a night when they went to sleep without saying those words. He was sure of it. He could picture them far into the future, saying those words to each other.

He'd never wanted to say those words to anyone as much as he wanted to say them to Hugh. And he had never meant them more than he did now.

He loved Hugh, with all of his heart and soul The years that had passed by didn't matter.

All that was important was that they had managed to find each other again. Nothing else mattered as long as they had each other; the years that they'd been apart had only made them grow more mature and wiser. And those years had shown them what they wanted.

Mads' hands moved down to Hugh's hips again, his fingers ghosting over the button and zipper of the younger man's jeans. Mads lifted his head to look at Hugh, an unasked question in his eyes.

The look that he received in return, the slight nod, made his heart leap into his throat.

Slowly, carefully, he began to undo the button and zipper, almost holding his breath. He had waited so long for this, and now it was finally happening. Whatever happened between them tonight, it would be a night that he was sure he'd remember and cherish for the rest of his life.


	6. Lead the Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunger that Hugh has felt for Mads all these years hasn't died, it's only grown stronger.

Hugh closed his eyes as Mads' hands moved down his body, taking one deep breath, then another. It was finally happening, after so many years of waiting.

He was here with Mads, and the man he'd wanted for so long was touching hm. They were probably going to make love tonight, and even if they didn't, some walls would be knocked down and some boundaries would be crossed. A few already had been.

From that first kiss, he had known that everything was as it should be. Mads still wanted him; he hadn't made a mistake by coming here. It wasn't too late for them to rekindle what they had felt all those years ago the first time they'd met, during that brief interlude.

He still hungered for Mads now just as much as he had then.

There was no denying those feelings, no way to pretend that they didn't exist. They were just as strong now as they'd been when they had first flared to life; maybe even stronger for all the years of waiting and dreaming. And now, those feelings were finally being set free.

All of those dreams were coming to fruition, and he didn't know if he was exhilarated or terrified. Maybe he was a little bit of both; after all, it wasn't as though he'd been with any other men in that time, though he knew that Mads already had some experience in that arena.

That was a _good_ thing, Hugh told himself firmly. He wouldn't want to be with a man who didn't know what he was doing. That would make things more than a little awkward for both of them; it was good that Mads could lead him into this slowly and gently.

There was no doubt in his mind that this was what he wanted. He'd thrown caution to the winds; he'd leapt before he looked, and he wasn't gong to have any regrets over doing that. He was going to appease the hunger that he'd lived with for so long.

There was no turning back now. He'd made his choice.

His eyes met Mads' again; they needed no words for what they felt. All he had to do was nod, to let Mads know that this was what he wanted. There was no need to put his desire into words; he knew that Mads could see the hunger that burned in his gaze.

The hunger in Mads' eyes matched his own; he'd thought that he might be afraid to see the depths of his own desire reflected back at him, but he wasn't. He was only eager for more, to find out just where this desire that flowed between them would take them next.

Hugh closed his eyes, leaning back against the soft cushions of the couch. He would let Mads lead the way, and follow wherever his lover decided to take him.


	7. Spun Sugar and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes dreams do come true -- even if they have to progress slowly.

Mads raised a hand to stroke gentle fingertips across Hugh's cheek; he could feel the younger man trembling under him, and for just a moment, he thought that it might be best to slow things down, to take more time before becoming intimate in any way.

But he knew that he couldn't wait. And he didn't think that Hugh could, either.

He knew that Hugh wanted him; he was just nervous and hesitant. Mads didn't blame him for that; he could understand how frightening it was to jump into something that he'd never done before. But Hugh had to get past those fears if he wanted them to have a future.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered, hoping that Hugh could manage to overcome that hesitation. "I won't hurt you, sweetheart. There's nothing to worry about."

"I know," Hugh answered, giving him a tremulous smile. "I'm just .... I can't help being nervous. I'm afraid that I'll do something wrong, and that you won't want me any more." He blinked and looked down, long lashes lowering over his eyes. "I'm not sure what to do."

For a moment, Mads didn't know quite what to say.

He had never felt that sort of hesitation himself -- but then, he had never saved himself for one person. Hugh had built up that brief shining moment they'd had in his mind; he probably expected fireworks and stars and explosions. Mads only hoped that he could deliver.

"Just lie back and enjoy everything," Mads told him, his heart melting at Hugh's words. "Just forget the world. Forget everything other than the two of us, and what is happening right now." He took Hugh's face between his hands, brushing a kiss over his lips. "Just let yourself feel."

"I can do that," Hugh told him with another smile. "That won't be a problem at all. You make me feel more than anyone I've ever known."

"And I'll make you feel even more, my love," Mads whispered, kissing Hugh again. This time, he let his hand move down the younger man's body to rest on the obvious bulge in his jeans; oh yes, Hugh wanted him. He had the proof of that desire under his palm.

Hugh wanted this; Mads had no doubt of that. He didn't blame the younger man for being nervous. He would simply have to show Hugh that there was no need to be nervous, that there was nothing to fear. He would have to break through that wall of hesitancy.

He knew just how to do that.

Mads bent his head again to swirl his tongue around one delicate pink nipple. Hugh's back arched; he moaned Mads' name, his fingers twining through the older man's hair, holding him in place. Mads couldn't hold back a smile; that was exactly the reaction he had hoped for.

He moved his mouth to Hugh's other nipple, repeating his actions; at the same time, his hands moved down to the button of Hugh's jeans, undoing it, then starting to slowly pull the zipper down. He was moving slowly and carefully, not wanting to make Hugh feel uncomfortable.

He was surprised when the younger man lifted his hips so that Mads could pull his jeans down; he hadn't expected that kind of aid.

But he would take it where he could get it. If Hugh wanted to be naked under him, then he would oblige that desire -- though he wasn't going to take more than his shirt off. He knew that if he did, he might be tempted to go further than was best for either of them.

He needed to seduce Hugh slowly. They wouldn't be making love tonight.

Oh, not that he didn't want to -- and he was sure that if he wanted to do so, he could bring Hugh to the point where he would throw caution to the winds and say yes. But he wanted Hugh to come to that decision on his own; he wouldn't let himself coerce Hugh into being reckless.

There was only the thin fabric of Hugh's boxers between them now; Mads wasn't sure if he should go further and peel that layer of cover away from Hugh's flesh, or if he should wait and let Hugh decide just what his next move would be.

He was even more surprised when Hugh took matters into his own hands, lifting his hips again and pushing his boxers down his slender thighs.

Hugh looked up at him with all the love in the world shining in those blue eyes, and Mads was sure that he could feel his heart melt. How could he not want to hold that love close to him, to cherish it and make sure that he never betrayed that obvious trust in any way?

He owed it to Hugh to make this night as marvelous as it could possibly be, even though he had no intention of making love to him tonight. That would come later, when Hugh was more comfortable with the idea, and when they knew each other more intimately than they did now.

This night would be as perfect as he could make it.

"Shouldn't you be taking some clothes off?" Hugh asked him, his voice soft and husky. Mads was sure that he could hear a hint of trepidation in Hugh's tone; the younger man seemed to be asking him a question, in more ways than one.

He shook his head, pressing a finger against Hugh's lips. "No, my love. If I do, then I won't be able to answer for what may happen."

"But --" Mads pressed his finger a bit more forcefully against the softness of Hugh's lips, quieting the other man's words. He shook his head, then leaned forward to capture Hugh's lips with his own, reveling in the soft vulnerability of Hugh's mouth under his.

"This isn't the right time for us to make love," he said softly, his dark gaze locked with Hugh's. "That will come, in the future. But tonight, I just want you to lie back and let me please you. Just forget the world, Hugh. Forget everything but the two of us, here together."

Hugh nodded, swallowing hard. He did as Mads told him, lying back against the couch cushions, his gaze still on Mads' face, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"That's right, my love. Just relax," Mads whispered, moving one hand down Hugh's side. The young man's skin was so soft under his questing fingertips; he was sure that Hugh's flesh was the softest thing he had ever touched, that he was made of spun sugar and dreams.

This was his dream, a dream that had finally come true.

Hugh was the most beautiful creature he'd ever beheld, both with and without his clothes. But he had to admit that if he had the choice, he would much rather look at Hugh naked. He sat back on his heels, drinking in the sight of the young man stretched out before him.

Hugh had the most splendid body he'd ever seen; he could hardly believe that this was being offered to him, that Hugh wanted to be his. He had always known that if they ever found each other again, he would find Hugh even more beautiful than he'd dreamed.

"You are so beautiful," Mads whispered, a lump rising into his throat. This man was _his_. This perfection was being given to him, with no hesitation and no regrets.

He would do all that he could to deserve this man, to give him all that he could ever want or need. Hugh had owned his heart for a very long time; in this moment, Mads gave all of himself to Hugh, vowing that no one would ever come between them again.

"So are you," Hugh murmured, raising his hands to grasp Mads' shoulders. "I want to see you, too. Don't you think I deserve at least the sight of you, after we've waited so long to be together again?" His blue gaze was pleading, his words slightly breathless.

Mads nodded slowly. Hugh was right.

He moved off the couch and slowly pulled his shirt off, watching Hugh as he did so. He couldn't help basking in the other man's gaze; he liked seeing that look of admiration on Hugh's face, liked knowing that how he looked was pleasing to the man he loved.

His hands went to the button and zipper of his jeans, slowly drawing the zipper down and keeping his gaze on Hugh's face as he slowly pushed the fabric down to pool around his ankles.

Hugh's eyes widened; he knew that the younger man probably hadn't expected him to be as well-endowed as he was. He hoped that wouldn't be a problem; the last thing he wanted to do was frighten Hugh. He might have to take things even more slowly than he'd planned.

Hugh smiled up at him, holding out his arms. "Love me," he whispered, the words soft and husky.

Mads need no encouragement to move back to the couch, carefully lowering himself on top of Hugh, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. It was going to be hard to hold himself back, but he would manage it. He wouldn't move too quickly. 

But it was going to be so hard to force himself to go slowly, especially when they were both naked and Hugh was so incredibly tempting, the feel of his bare body igniting a fire in Mads' blood.

No, he wouldn't move too quickly. Hugh was fragile in his arms, like spun sugar; this was every dream that he'd ever had coming to vivid, brilliant life, and he wouldn't spoil it by rushing. He would make sure that they both enjoyed every moment of their intimacy.

He had never wanted anything more than this, never dreamed that anything could feel so perfect. Hugh was in his arms, where he had always belonged, and his heart was lost. All of his life had been leading up to these moments with Hugh; tonight would define the rest of their lives.

He would embrace that future with open arms, wherever it might lead.

As he slid his arms around Hugh, he knew that whatever happened between them tonight, their future was sealed. They belonged to each other, and nothing could ever change that.


	8. Just Forget the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one else has ever made Hugh _feel_ as much as Mads does.

Hugh closed his eyes and let himself relax, sinking into the velvety cushions of the couch. This might be more comfortable if he and Mads were in a bed, but he didn't think that would be a good idea, not if Mads didn't want to go further than either of them was ready for.

He wasn't sure that it would be a good idea for them to be in bed together for a while yet, given the fragile state of their relationship. They had to get to know each other all over again, and that might take some time. But it would be worth waiting for.

All he wanted at the moment was for Mads to kiss him again, for those strong yet gentle hands to roam over his body, touching him everywhere.

He'd dreamed about those hands so many nights; he had never been able to forget exactly how Mads' touch felt against his skin. No one else had hands like that; no one else touched him so lovingly and so reverently. No one else had ever wanted him in the way Mads did.

He had settled for second best in the past. He would never do that again.

After all these years of dreaming about being with Mads and regretting that they hadn't done more than simply kiss, he was right where he wanted to be. He had waited so long for this -- and now, it was finally here, and he intended to give himself over in every possible way.

There was still a frisson of fear somewhere in the back of his mind, but Hugh ruthlessly pushed it down and slammed an inner door to close it off. He didn't want to let that fear take root. There was nothing to be afraid of. Mads would never do anything to hurt him.

He'd been the one who had made the decision to run away ten years ago. _He_ had been the one to hurt them, to stop things before they'd gone any further.

He wouldn't do that again. This time, he was going to see this through -- and he wasn't going to run away or turn back. He'd made a final decision, and he knew that he was doing the right thing. He was merely picking up where they'd left off in the past.

Mads' soft lips were moving down his body, then back up again, making hm squirm and moan.

How could anyone's mouth be so sinfully hot? No one else had ever kissed him like this; he felt as though his body was on fire, every nerve and sinew begging to be touched, to be kissed. This was a level of desire that he'd never thought could exist.

Those warm lips were at his sensitive nipples again; Mads nibbled gently at first one delicate bud, then the other, until Hugh was ready to cry out in desperation. Having his nipples teased felt incredible, but he wanted Mads' mouth on more intimate areas of his body.

Mads had told him to lie back and just forget the world, and that was exactly what he was going to do. He would concentrate on what Mads was making him feel, and revel in the knowledge that this was only the first time that the two of them would be together.

Nothing had ever felt like this; he'd never wanted anyone with the intensity of the desire he had for Mads. This was where he had always belonged; this was all he'd ever wanted.

That soft, warm mouth moved lower, Mads' tongue licking a trail down to his navel. Hugh couldn't keep his hips from jerking, even though Mad's hands held him down; he knew where that mouth was heading, and he wanted that more than he could articulate with words.

They were finally going to go further than just touching and kissing.

He'd experienced oral sex before, of course, but this would be different. This would be the first time a _man's_ mouth had been on him. He'd heard that it was far different with a man, that someone who had the same anatomy was much more familiar with what felt good.

Mads lifted his head to gaze up at Hugh, a slight frown marring his brow. "Are you sure you're all right with this, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice very soft. It was almost as though he could feel the hesitation, even though Hugh hadn't said a word.

Hugh could do nothing but nod, finally managing to force words out, though his mouth had suddenly gone dry. "Yes, Mads, I want this. I've wanted it for a long time."

Those words brought a smile to Mads' lips; with a nod, he lowered his head again, letting those incredible lips travel down Hugh's body. Each kiss made Hugh's pulse leap; he drew in a deep shuddering breath, his body arching upwards when Mads' lips finally touched the tip of his penis.

He was already hard, his body ready and waiting. For a fleeting moment, he was afraid that merely the touch of those lips would make him come, but his managed to hold himself back, hoping that Mads would b able to make this last and keep him from ending it too soon.

He'd never wanted anything -- or anyone -- this badly.

Hugh couldn't keep back a soft cry as Mads' mouth enveloped him; he'd had blow jobs before, but he hadn't expected such exquisite warmth, hadn't expected that touch to feel so incredibly _right_ to him. It was as if his body had made to fit every aspect of this man.

Whenever he'd experienced this before, it had never been entirely comfortable for him. All of the women he'd been with in the past -- and, in truth, there hadn't been many -- had always wanted to get this over with and have _him_ pleasure _them_.

No one had ever lingered over him as though his body was some delectable piece of candy that they wanted to suck all the sweetness from. No one had ever lavished this kind of oral attention on him, taking their time with him, making sure that he felt every movement, every possible sensation.

Mads' mouth moved back up to the tip of his cock, sucking gently, before sliding back down to the base, taking all of him into that wet, hot cavern. Hugh's fingers threaded through Mads' hair, holding him in place, but not so tightly that he couldn't keep moving.

Nothing else had ever felt this good. No sex with a woman could compare to what Mads was making him feel by simply having his cock in that warm, wet mouth.

Hugh knew that he was going to come far too quickly; he could feel his orgasm starting to uncoil within him, threatening to spill over much sooner than he'd wanted it to. But he simply couldn't hold himself back; it had been too long since anyone had touched him.

Mads seemed to sense that fact, his grip on Hugh's hips tightening slightly.

If Mads hadn't been holding him down, his hips would have been thrusting upward, but as it was, he was as still as he could be when he was being pleasured like this. His fingers tightened in Mads' hair, another soft, wordless cry leaving his lips.

Only few more moments, and he would be pushed over the edge of that precipice that he'd felt he was edging ever more closely towards with each movement of Mads' mouth on his cock. Hugh closed his eyes, his body arching upwards just as Mads deep-throated him again.

Hugh came with another cry, this time of Mads' name. His climax washed over him, leaving him trembling and sated; Mad's mouth was still on him, sucking gently before he finally let Hugh's cock slip out of his mouth and sat up with a soft smile.

He reached out to brush Hugh's damp hair back from his face, those gentle fingers lingering against his cheek. Hugh turned his head to place a kiss against Mads' palm, craving more of that touch.

His thoughts were scattered to the winds; he was unable to put his feelings into words. He had never realized how amazing oral sex could be until this moment; no one had ever made him feel the way Mads had just done. Everything he'd heard about men giving wonderful blow jobs was true.

Or maybe it was just _this_ particular man. Maybe it was just because Hugh loved him so much, and wanted to give himself over fully and completely, heart, body and soul. He wanted them to engage in every physical act possible, to prove to Mads that they belonged together.

No, he didn't have to prove that. Mads already knew.

"Did I do a good job of making you forget the world?" Mads asked, a smile curving his lips. He sat back on his heels, looking down at Hugh with an expression of satisfaction. "You look .... sated, my sweet. I hope that was enough to get you through the night."

Hugh could do nothing but nod; he couldn't find his voice for a few moments. When he did, the could only manage a soft whisper; it almost felt as though they were under a spell, and if he spoke aloud, he would break it and the world would go back to being normal again.

But that wasn't true, was it? he asked himself. After tonight, nothing would ever be the same again. He had taken a step away from the life he'd lived before he and Mads had found each other again, and he didn't want to go back. He could only move forward from here.

"You definitely did," he finally said, his voice very soft. "I just hope that was enough to satisfy you, too. If it wasn't ...." His voice trailed off, a blush suffusing his cheeks.

Hugh couldn't stop his gaze from moving down Mads' body to his crotch; to his surprise, the other man didn't have an evident erection. It puzzled him for a moment, until he remembered that Mads' hips had been rubbing against the couch cushions during that blow job.

The thought brought another blush to the surface; Hugh could feel his cheeks pinkening.

"I'm certainly satisfied," Mads told him, his voice as soft as Hugh's had been. "But I'll be even more so when we finally make love, sweetheart." He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss against Hugh's lips, allowing the younger man to taste himself.

The taste wasn't unpleasant. It was the first time anyone had ever kissed him after oral sex; tasting himself on someone else's tongue was an odd sensation.

Hugh wound his arms around Mads' neck, pulling the other man closer against him. He wanted them to be as close as possible, with no physical barriers between them. Mads might think that it wasn't a good idea, but Hugh trusted his lover implicitly.

He wasn't going to let Mads go. Not yet. He didn't want to go back to his hotel room and spend the rest of the night alone, not when his body was tingling from Mads' touch, when he could swear that he still felt the other man's lips on him, arousing him, bringing him to the brink.

He wanted to lie in Mads' arms for the rest of the night, to just forget the world, as he'd been told to do. He couldn't do that if he was alone in a cold bed. He wanted to snuggle with Mads, to fall asleep in his arms and awaken there in the morning.

Nothing was going to make him leave. He was right where he wanted to be.

Not just for the night, but for the rest of his life. And if Mads didn't agree with him staying here tonight, well then, he would simply have to convince the other man that he _should_ be here, and that them spending the night apart would be a bad idea for them both.

As the kiss deepened, Hugh gave himself over to it, hoping that he could convince Mads to let him spend the night here. They didn't have to do anything else, but he was determined to pass the night in this man's arms -- even if they did nothing more than sleep.


	9. Here in My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've been waiting all of their lives to find each other.

They had been lying on the couch for what felt like an eternity; Mads wanted to stretch his cramped muscles, but he didn't want to bother Hugh, who seemed to be dozing. He wasn't sure if the younger man was asleep or not, but if he was, it seemed s shame to wake him.

Still, they couldn't stay here on the couch all night, and Hugh would have to get dressed and go back to his hotel at some point. The thought hit Mads like a blow; he wouldn't be able to spend the night with Hugh wrapped in his arms, safe and warm in his bed.

No, he would have to let the man he wanted to spend the night holding close go back to a cold, impersonal hotel; he wouldn't be able to wake up beside him in the morning.

Unless, of course, Hugh _wanted_ to stay here.

That wouldn't be impossible, would it? After all, Hugh had come here tonight of his own volition; if he had decided that he wanted the two of them to be together, then there was no reason to believe that he wouldn't want to spend the entire night here, as well.

But he shouldn't jump to conclusions about something like that; he needed to ask Hugh if he wanted to stay. They needed to talk about their future now, instead of waiting and hoping that it would just take care of itself, or taking it all one day at a time.

He had played that waiting game before, and as a result, he had lost Hugh for years. Ten years they had been apart, when they had both wanted to spend those years with each other. Now that he had a second chance, he wasn't going to do the wrong thing again.

But he would let Hugh make the choice. If he didn't want to stay here tonight, if he thought it was better for him to leave, then Mads wasn't going to try to convince him otherwise.

Mads shook his head, blinking, frowning at his thoughts. What was he thinking? Of course Hugh wouldn't want to go back to a lonely hotel room, not after they had been intimate. And asking him if he wanted to leave would be insulting. It was the last thing he should do.

How he could have thought such a thing? Hugh would spend the night here, of course.

Even thinking that he might want to leave after they had been so tender with each other felt wrong. Making love to Hugh in the way he had, and then thinking that he might want to leave, reduced Hugh to the level of a hooker who would only be here for a short time.

Mads pushed _that_ thought away as quickly as it had formed, ashamed of himself for even thinking of it. It wasn't worthy of Hugh, of or their relationship.

Hugh was infinitely precious to him; the man here in his arms meant more to him than anyone ever had. This time, he was going to prove to Hugh that they belonged with each other; if he chose to leave, he wouldn't be stopped, but Mads wouldn't let him go without a fight.

Raising a hand, he brushed Hugh's damp curls back from his face, studying the other man in the soft glow of the lamplight. He had thought Hugh was beautiful from the first time they'd met, but he had never seen him like this, in repose, completely relaxed.

His breath caught in his throat; such beauty almost brought tears to his eyes. How could anyone be so utterly desirable? His body stirred at the thought of making love to Hugh again, this time in a big, comfortable bed rather than on a couch.

No, that wasn't going to happen tonight. There was plenty of time for that later.

As much as he wanted Hugh, he would be doing them both a disservice if he made love to the younger man tonight. It wasn't time for that yet; Hugh wasn't ready, and they needed to spend more time with each other first, so he would be comfortable with the idea.

Still, he had seemed as though he wanted it just as badly as Mads did. If Hugh _asked_ to be made love to tonight, how could he say no?

It would all depend on how Hugh felt, and what he wanted. Mads was more than willing to sacrifice his own desires for Hugh's; he was willing to take his time and lead his young lover into this gently, if that was what Hugh wanted and needed.

Bowing his head, he brushed his lips against Hugh's, feeling his heart leap and begin pounding even with that one small contact. Desire flared high in him again; if Hugh wanted them to make love, there was no way that he would be able to refuse such a request.

As though on cue, Hugh opened his eyes and smiled up at Mads, a sleepy, sated smile that made Mads' heart leap in his chest again. How could he not love this man? How could he not want such beauty in his arms, his heart and his bed, every day of his life?

"I love you," Hugh whispered, his voice soft and husky. "More than anything."

Mads could feel his eyes filling with tears; he hadn't expected to hear that from Hugh. True, they had already said those words to each other tonight, but he could never tire of hearing them. They would always make his heart beat a little faster, and expand with his own love for this man.

"And I love you, my sweet one," he whispered, taking Hugh's hand in his and raising it to his lips. He wanted to kiss Hugh's parted lips again, but somehow this seemed more romantic, more the kind of thing that a man who was head over heels in love would do.

And he _was_ in love. He had no doubt of that. He had been in love for the past ten years, and was finally able to bestow those feelings on his beloved.

Hugh threaded his fingers through Mads', squeezing his hand gently before releasing it, then placing that hand on his own chest. Mads could feel Hugh's heart beating steadily, feel the smooth silkiness of that soft skin under his fingertips.

He ached to touch, to explore. But he couldn't do that just yet, not when Hugh was obviously gathering words to say something that Mads was sure he would want to hear. He waited, almost holding his breath, wondering just what those words would be.

Hugh's gaze never left Mads' face for a moment as he began to speak.

"I've waited for this for ten years," he whispered, his blue eyes filling with tears. He raised one hand to wipe them away, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And it's going to be worth it. We have a lot of time to make up for, and I know we both want to catch up."

Mads nodded, wondering if he should say something, and then finding that he was unable not to. "Ten years is a long time, my darling," he murmured, shaking his head. "It's quite a bit of catching up to do. But I believe that we're going to enjoy every moment of it."

"You were always with me," Hugh whispered, his voice suddenly choked. It was a moment before he could speak again; when he did, his voice was more steady. "You were always right here in my heart, Mads. Once you were there, you never left. Not once."

Hugh had never given up on him, even though they hadn't been together. Neither of them had really moved on, Mads realized. They had always been waiting for each other.

"I've waited for someone to love in the way that I love you for all of my life," Mads said, unable to hold the words back. "It wasn't until tonight that I realized .... I was waiting for _you_ , my love. It was always you, even when I thought that we couldn't be together."

Hugh's tears spilled over; he turned his face away, raising a hand to wipe ineffectually at them.

But Mads beat him to it, taking Hugh's face between his hands and gently wiping away those tears with the soft pads of his thumbs. He gazed into those blue eyes, not realizing that his own tears were streaking down his face, and not caring if they were.

"You have always been here in my heart, Hugh," he murmured, knowing that every word, every syllable, was the truth. "It's always only been you for me. Anyone else was just a substitute. I have never loved anyone the way I love you. Never."

"Nobody else ever felt like home to me," Hugh told him, sniffling a little, but finally smiling through his tears. "You do. You always have. You always will."

That smile took mads' breath away; he had to smile back. His heart was singing; the knowledge that Hugh was so deeply in love with him, that his feelings were returned a hundredfold, made him happier than he had ever been. He could feel joy radiating through him.

The joy that he felt was reflected in Hugh's face, in the way that those blue eyes sparkled. He didn't doubt that every word Hugh said came from his heart, just as his words came from his own heart. He would never forget the words they had spoken tonight; they would stay with him for all of his life.

He had never meant any words as much as he meant what he'd said to Hugh.

Loving someone this deeply should frighten him, but it didn't. It only felt _right_ , as though his heart had finally found where it belonged after having been lonely for far too long. That heart would never stray; it was right where it belonged, right where it wanted to be.

Slowly, Mads released Hugh and got to his feet, holding out his hand with a smile. Hugh sat up, taking his hand and getting to his feet, giving Mads a questioning look.

"I think we should go upstairs and go to bed," Mads said softly, his gaze locked with Hugh's. "Only to sleep," he added, in case Hugh got the wrong impression of what he meant ."Of course, there could always be a bit of .... snuggling before we fall asleep."

"that sounds like a perfect way to go to sleep," Hugh told him, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. Mads pulled Hugh into his arms for an embrace before turning to lead his lover towards the stairs, his heart thudding in his chest as he wondered what the night still held for them.


	10. As Long As You Love Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh needs nothing more than having Mads by his side to make him perfectly happy.

Hugh followed Mads up the steps, his heart feeling as though it was thundering in his chest. There was no reason to be nervous, he told himself firmly. Mads had told him that they were only going to cuddle and then sleep, and he trusted the other man.

But he wanted so much more than that. He wanted to be held and touched and kissed and .... No, he really wasn't ready for what would come after that.

It wasn't that he was _afraid_ of it, not really. Yes, there would be a little pain, but he'd been told that it was only a quicksilver flash, and then that pain turned into incredible pleasure. He could deal with a little pain to feel that he was one with Mads.

So it might not be tonight, but it would be soon .He had no doubt of that.

Mads wanted him. Their desire was mutual. And the ice had already been broken -- even though it felt like there had been no ice to break at all. He'd been nervous when he'd first come here, yes, but that feeling had quickly disappeared.

All he felt now was contentment. Mads hadn't changed in all of the time they'd been apart; his feelings were just as strong as Hugh's were. Time hadn't made a difference.

Mads turned to him when they were both at the top of the stairs with a smile. "I'd show you around the house, but I think we both need to get some rest," he said softly, squeezing Hugh's hand. "And to be quite honest, I want you in my arms again."

"That's just where I want to be," Hugh told him with an answering smile. He felt more than a little vulnerable, standing here stark naked, but somehow, it didn't feel uncomfortable. It felt entirely natural to be following Mads to his bedroom.

It wouldn't take him long to get used to this.

He didn't feel as though he was in a strange place, either. The atmosphere wasn't tense or strained; he felt at home here, even though he didn't know his way around the house yet. He knew that it wouldn't take him long to feel as though he belonged here.

Mads led the way into his bedroom, dropping Hugh's hand and going to the bed to turn down the covers. Hugh looked around, blinking a little in surprise.

He had thought that Mads' bedroom would more than likely be fairly spartan; his lover didn't seem like a man who would be all that interested in small touches. But the room was entirely comfortable, bordering on the sumptuous.

The walls were a pale blue, a relaxing color. The comforter on the bed, as well as the pillowcases, were a deeper blue; there were other shades of blue reflected all around the room in a comfortable chair, throw pillows, and two lampshades.

He liked this room. It felt warm and welcoming -- just like the man who inhabited it.

Mads stood up and turned to him, stepping aside and indicating the bed. "I hope you'll find it as comfortable as I do," he said softly, his gaze meeting Hugh's.

Hugh nodded, moving closer to the other man and opening his mouth to speak -- then gasping in surprise as Mads' arms came around him again, pulling him close, and their lips met. The kiss was gentle, tender, but he could feel the undercurrent of desire.

Mads moved him backwards until Hugh collapsed onto the bed, laughing softly and wrapping his arms around Mads' waist. "If you intended to get me in bed, you've done a very good job of it," he joked, moving aside so that Mads could lie down beside him.

"It appears that I've got you exactly where I want you, then," Mads told him with a smirk, then laughed as he bent to press his mouth against Hugh's. "I just want you, my sweet. In bed, out of bed. All the time. I don't know how I survived for ten years without you."

"Neither do I," Hugh murmured, his breath catching in his throat.

It really did seem incredible that the two of them had gone for so many years without being able to assuage their desire for each other. And that such desire could still be so strong, even after all the time that they'd been apart.

But it wasn't just desire, Hugh told himself. They loved each other, even if they hadn't said the words all those years ago. That love hadn't faded.

It never would, at least not on his side. He doubted that Mads' love for him would waver, either. If they still felt this way after ten years of not seeing each other, not keeping in touch, then being together was only going to make that love grow stronger.

Mads pulled the covers up over the two of them, then reached for the lamp on the table by the bed to turn the light off. Hugh blinked as the room was plunged into darkness; somehow, this seemed so much more intimate than being in the light.

He closed his eyes and rested his head against Mads' shoulder, feeling completely content for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The rest of the world seemed very far away, almost as though nothing existed for him outside of this room.

He wished that were true, but unfortunately, it wasn't.

They were probably going to have to face a lot of resistance to their relationship when it became public, as it undoubtedly would. That wouldn't be pleasant.

"Are you comfortable?" Mads asked him, his voice very soft. Hugh could feel the other man's lips against his hair; Mads' arms were wrapped loosely around his waist, holding him against that lean body, but not so tightly that he couldn't move if he wanted to.

He didn't want to move. He never wanted to move. He wanted tostay here in Mads' embrace forever, lock the rest of the world away, and just bask in the nearness of the man he loved. He wanted this night to go on forever, to never come to an end.

That wasn't possible, of course. But he could dream. And those dreams would be full of Mads, and all of the happiness he was sure they would find in the future.

"Very," he answered, his voice a husky whisper. "As long as you love me, I can be comfortable anywhere." It wasn't exactly the way he'd wanted to phrase what he was feeling, but he was getting tired, and the words weren't coming out quite properly.

Even if it wasn't exactly how he wanted to say the words, their meaning was crystal-clear.

"I'll always love you," Mads said softly, his voice so soft that Hugh almost had to strain to hear the words, even in the quiet of the room. "Not loving you would be impossible for me. I've loved you for far too long to ever think of stopping now."

"I've loved you for all that time, too," Hugh said, shifting slightly so that he was lying more comfortably in Mads' embrace. "And I always will." He breathed in, then exhaled, feeling sleepy and sated. This was the most wonderful way to fall asleep, next to the man he loved.

It was still hard to believe that he was here, that they'd finally found each other again. He wouldn't have thought it could happen, but apparently the fates had smiled on them.

As long as Mads loved him, then he was happy. He didn't need anything else to make him feel as though he was sitting on top of the world; if he had this man's heat, then all was right with his world. There was nothing else he needed for life to be perfect.

If it was possible to be perfectly happy, then he was.

It didn't matter that the future might not be easy for them. It didn't matter that they might have to deal with some opposition to their relationship. All that mattered was that they had each other.

As long as he had Mads, then he didn't need anything else. This man's love was worth taking risks for, worth doing anything that he had to do. As long as Mads loved him, then nothing could touch him. He was safe inside that love, safe in their own little world.

Whatever might be waiting for them in the future, he could face it with Mads by his side. He was no longer facing life on his own; he finally had the man he had always loved beside him, and they would walk into their future together, meeting it as a team.

Hugh drifted off to sleep with a smile curving his lips, feeling safe and loved and completely at ease, hope in his heart and love all around him.


	11. This Very Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh awakens next to Mads for the first time.

Hugh blinked, wondering where he was for a moment. This didn't feel like his hotel room -- it was larger, and somehow warmer. It took him a moment to realize that he felt warmth because there was someone curled up behind him, their warms wrapped around his waist.

He blinked again, and memory came flooding back. He was in Mads' bed. It was Mads who was practically wrapped around him, keeping him warm, those strong arms holding him close. It was Mads who was .... _naked_ in bed with him.

A burning blush swept over his face at that realization; he'd woken naked in bed with people before, but never with another man.

Hugh closed his eyes again, forcing himself to relax. There was nothing to be worried about. He was here because he _wanted_ to be here -- he had chosen to spend the night with Mads, to stay here in his arms rather than go back to his lonely hotel room.

This was how he wanted to wake up every morning.

There was no other place he wanted to be, Hugh told himself firmly. After the initial shock of waking and realizing where he was, it was actually quite comfortable to wake up in Mads' arms -- though feeling the other man's erection pressed against his bum was a little disconcerting.

His own erection was more than a little uncomfortable; not that he wasn't used to waking up with a hard-on, but not in this position -- not pressed so intimately against another man. The blush burned more fiercely; his cheeks felt as though they were on fire.

He doubted that Mads was feeling this uncomfortable, but then, Mads was used to things like this. He had woken up naked with men before.

It was ridiculous for him to feel uncomfortable in any way, Hugh told himself firmly. This was how he was going to wake up for the rest of his life -- in Mads' arms, in his bed, knowing in no uncertain terms that he was loved and cherished. 

This was how he wanted to wake up every morning of his life. This was what he had chosen, what he had always wanted. Even though all the years when he'd been married to someone else, this was really where he had wanted to be.

And he was finally here, after years of wishing and yearning.

Mads' hand moved down his chest to rest on his belly; Hugh's eyes opened wide, a soft gasp coming from his throat. He hadn't realized that the other man was awake; it was a good thing that Mads couldn't hear his thoughts, or he'd have some explaining to do.

"Are you awake, love?" Mads' voice was sleepy, gravelly; it was obvious that he had just woken up. "Are you hungry? We don't have to get up yet, but --"

"I'm awake," Hugh said softly, not wanting Mads to think that he was still sleeping. He didn't know how late it was, but he knew that the other man was an early riser; he didn't want Mads to think he was some kind of lazy slug who laid around in bed all day.

"I can make us breakfast, if you like," Mads offered, bowing his head to press a kiss against Hugh's bare shoulder. "Or we could go out to a local café, if you would prefer that. Personally, I would much rather stay here for a while."

"I'd like to stay here, too," Hugh murmured, suddenly feeling shy. "I don't want you to think I'm being lazy, but this is the first time I've ever woken up with you. I want to make it last for as long as we can before we have to get up and start the day."

"Then we'll stay in bed for as long as you like, my sweet," Mads told him, kissing his shoulder again. "I rather thought you might want that."

With that, he buried his face against Hugh's hair, breathing deeply.

Somehow, Hugh found that the sexiest thing anyone had ever done with him. Just knowing that Mads' body was pressed so intimately against his own, that there were no barriers between them, and that Mads was inhaling the scent of his hair .... it was intoxicating.

Hugh sighed contentedly as Mads' arms tightened around his waist; he wanted nothing more than to lie here comfortably with the man he loved, feeling safe and warm and protected. When was the last time he had felt so happy just to wake up in the morning?

Never, he realized. Never before had he felt as though he was perfectly content; not even when he had been with someone he'd told himself he was in love with. Not even on the morning after his wedding, when he was supposed to feel happier than he'd ever been.

This was the most sensual thing he'd ever felt; he was ready to take things further, to let Mads explore his body and do anything that he wanted.

Hugh turned over slowly until he was facing Mads; he sucked in a breath when their erections brushed against each other, a flash of desire jolting through his body. He wanted Mads in a way that he'd never wanted anyone; wanted him _now_ , immediately.

But he knew that wasn't going to happen. Mads wouldn't simply take him here and now; there would be a big buildup, a romantic evening. That was what he wanted, really. He wanted to let Mads lead the way, to guide him into this new world.

Ruthlessly, he pushed the desire down, locked it away.

But he didn't let the desire fade completely; he couldn't have done that if he'd tried. Silently, he lifted his face to Mads', his dark eyes locked on the other man's, telling Mads without words that he wanted to be held and kissed -- and desired.

Mads' hands moved down his body to rest on his hips, pulling him closer. Hugh felt the blush flare in his cheeks again as his crotch was pressed against Mads' -- and their erections rubbed against each other again, making him moan softly.

"I know what you want, love," Mads said softly, his breath warm against Hugh's skin. "But this isn't the right time. Not yet. Soon enough, though."

Hugh could only nod, swallowing hard, wondering just when the right time would be. He wasn't going to push Mads for an answer; he had no experience in this kind of thing -- at least, not with men. It would be best to let Mads lead the way.

Besides, it was nice to be the one being seduced, instead of being expected to do the seducing. It was good to let someone else take control, to let Mads have the reins. He liked the feeling of being swept along, being the one who was being wooed and courted.

"How much longer?" he heard himself asking, shocked that he would put such a question to his lover. He really shouldn't ask that. Not now. But he couldn't keep the question back, couldn't keep himself from voicing what he felt inside.

Mads smiled, gazing down at him with love in his eyes.

"When we are both ready to take that step," he murmured, tracing the outline of Hugh's lips with a gentle fingertip. "It isn't a race, Hugh. We don't have to rush. There is plenty of time to take that step. We have the rest of our lives to be together."

Hugh could do nothing but nod, fully in agreement with Mads. They would be together for the rest of their lives; he had no doubt about that. Fate had somehow decided that they deserved a second chance, and he wasn't going to let that chance go by.

He had already reached out for what he wanted, and he had no regrets about doing so. He was where he'd wanted to be for so long; now his dreams of Mads were more than just dreams and wishes. They were his reality, a reality that he wanted to stay in forever.

Sighing softly, he rested his forehead against Mads' shoulder, wishing that they could stay here in bed all day, but knowing that they'd have to get up sooner or later.

Still, they were here now, and he couldn't be more comfortable. He could get used to this, Hugh thought with an inward smile as he snuggled into Mads' embrace, relaxing in the other man's arms. Desire could wait; comfort was what he sought now.

But desire wouldn't be held back for long, and he knew it.

Mads felt the same rampant desire that he did; he could feel it when they kissed, feel it in the touch of those hands on his bare skin. He knew that Mads wanted him, and he also knew that the other man wasn't going to hold back for much longer.

Well, that was fine with him, Hugh told himself. He had waited for ten years to be with Mads; waiting for much longer now that they were finally together seemed silly.

He was still a little apprehensive about what the first time would be like, but he was no longer afraid of it. He knew that Mads would never hurt him; any pain there might be would be quickly overtaken by pleasure. And he couldn't wait to sample that pleasure to the fullest.

But for now, this was enough -- simply lying here with Mads and enjoying being this close. Hugh pillowed his head on the other man's chest, sighing with contentment. It was hard for him to imagine that his life could be any more perfect than it was at this very moment.


	12. A Dream Goes On Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that his dream of being with Hugh has finally come true, Mads hopes that it will never end.

Mads closed his eyes as he pulled Hugh closer, reveling in the feel of the younger man's body so close to his own. He hadn't expected to be waking with Hugh this morning, but he was grateful that it had happened. He had never felt more happy, or more satisfied.

They had the rest of their lives to be together; the past, all of the time they had spent apart, seemed like a long-ago dream, fading in the mists of time.

He had dreamed about Hugh for all of those years, but the other man had seemed so far away, so completely untouchable. He had been shocked to find out that they had both been cast in the same series, that they would be working together again.

Nothing could have made him happier.

All of his dreams about Hugh had come to fruition last night; all of the hopes and dreams that he'd had for their future had burst into glorious life. His dreams of Hugh could go on forever -- only now, they would be a reality. They were no longer just dreams.

There was so much for them to discover about each other, so much for them to do and say. He had so much to teach Hugh about loving -- and he was more than happy to do so. He wanted to unlock all of the sensuality that he knew simmered just under the surface.

He could hardly wait for the first time they made love; it would be one of the most wonderful experiences of his life, had no doubt of that. And he would make sure that it was wonderful for Hugh, as well. He would take them both to the skies, over and over again.

That was what he wanted, more than anything. And it was going to happen, though it might be a while before it did. He wasn't going to rush Hugh; he wouldn't push his young lover in any way, now that he had him here by his side.

They were together. For now, nothing else really mattered.

His dreams of being with Hugh, of loving him, of building a future together, were no longer a dream. They were going to happen. They might be conducting their relationship somewhat in the public eye, but they would both learn to deal with that.

As long as they were together, then he could cope with any small annoyances. Anything he had to deal with would be worth it, as long as he had Hugh.

Hugh stirred, turning onto his side and burrowing into Mads' embrace. Mads smiled softly, closing his eyes and brushing a gentle kiss against Hugh's dark curls. This was no dream. This was real; this was his life. His dream had turned into reality -- and that dream would go on forever.


	13. Forever Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is how they were always meant to be -- together.

"It's going to feel weird to go back to work tomorrow on the set," Hugh said with a soft sigh as he pillowed his head on Mads' shoulder. "Everything's changed so much, in just one weekend. I wonder if everybody's going to realize just what's happened?"

Mads laughed softly, shaking his head, raising a hand to run his fingers through Hugh's dark curls. "I doubt they will, unless we give them a reason to," he said, choosing his words carefully. Did Hugh not realize how much they had both changed in just two days?

Hugh had spent the weekend here at his house; he had more or less moved in, bringing all that he'd had with him at the hotel he was staying at to the house this morning.

They had spent two blissful days together, exploring the local bookshops and cafés close to Mads' home, going out to dinner on Saturday night. Tonight, they had decided to order out and watch a movie, and were now curled up on the couch.

It had been a peaceful weekend, one that Mads had enjoyed thoroughly.

Hugh had spent the last two nights in his arms, though on the second night, he'd been so tired that he had fallen asleep immediately. Mads had simply held him, watching him sleep, feeling grateful that fate had somehow seen fit to bring his love back into his life.

Nine years. Nine long years he'd been without this man, and he didn't intend to let that span of time go by again without having Hugh in his arms. This time, he wasn't going to be foolish enough to let the man he loved go. He wasn't going to say goodbye again.

His heart couldn't take that. If he had to relinquish Hugh now that they had finally found each other again, Mads didn't think he could cope. It would destroy him.

How had he lived for so long without the person he truly loved? Yes, he'd had substitutes, but he'd always had the knowledge that they couldn't replace Hugh. Still, there was no need now to think about those times. They were in the past, over and done with.

He and Hugh were together now. Nothing else mattered.

Mads himself wondered if everyone on the set would notice that there was a change in the relationship he and Hugh shared; he hoped that it wouldn't be too obvious. Of course, he didn't intend to hide the fact that they were lovers, either.

He didn't think Hugh wanted to hide that fact any more than he did. After all, they had no reason to feel ashamed; there was nothing wrong with them loving each other. And Mads was sure that their castmates and friends would be happy for them.

Everyone would be glad that they'd found each other again -- except for perhaps a few women who might have thought that since Hugh was now free, they might stand a chance with him. They would be terribly disappointed, Mads thought with a smile.

Hugh belonged to _him_. In truth, Hugh had always belonged to him, and he to Hugh. They might have gone their separate ways for a while, but they had found their way back.

They always would have done so. He had no doubts about that.

Hugh's voice brought him back to the present moment; he couldn't help but notice the worried tone in his lover's words. "Do you think it might cause trouble on the set? I hope not. I don't think anybody would be against us being a couple, but --"

Mads placed a gentle finger against Hugh's lips, shaking his head. He didn't want the younger man thinking like that; he was sure that there would be no reason for either of them to worry. "Hugh, you are inviting a problem that doesn't exist," he said softly.

Slowly, he took his finger away from Hugh's lips as he continued speaking. "No one is going to be against us. I believe it's been quite obvious that we have feelings for each other."

He was sure that others had noticed his longing looks towards Hugh -- and those of the younger man that had been directed at him. They hadn't talked about their attraction to anyone, but Mads was sure that to the discerning eye, it was more than apparent.

Why should they hide? They had every right to be open about their feelings.

Hugh nodded, sighing softly. "You're right, I guess. It's just .... it's so obvious to me that everything has changed so much between us from what things were like when we first started working together again that I expect everybody to know about it."

Mads thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "You're right, love, it _is_ obvious that things have changed. I don't believe that either of us will be able to look at each other in the same way on the set any more. It's obvious that we're more than just friends."

"Maybe it always was," Hugh said slowly. "I mean, it's not like we really tried to hide that we were attracted to each other. At least, I don't think I did."

"And I most certainly didn't," Mads said with a soft chuckle. "No, it's going to be perfectly obvious to all the people there that things have significantly changed between us. And I believe that, just as we do, everyone will feel that it's a change for the better."

Hugh smiled, nodding and closing his eyes.

"Don't worry, my sweet," Mads whispered, bowing his head to brush a kiss across Hugh's dark curls. "We have no reason to be ashamed. No one should ever feel that they have to hide their love for someone. I'm glad that we don't have to. It would be impossible for me."

"For me, too." Hugh shook his head, sighing again. "I could never go back to not being with you, Mads. I don't ever want to. But it's going to be hard to keep our relationship under wraps. I don't think we should even try. If people don't like it, then that's their problem."

Mads nodded, pleased that Hugh felt the same way he did. "I agree, my love. There is no reason for us to hide. We've done nothing wrong."

"If anybody looks at us loving each other as being wrong, then I feel sorry for them," Hugh said, his voice very soft. "I could never think that loving you is wrong. You make me happier than anybody else ever has. Happier than I've ever been in my life."

"And you do the same for me," Mads answered in a whisper.

He could feel his heart filling, expanding. He had never loved anyone in the way that he loved Hugh; he knew that he never would. Hugh was his forever love, the person he had always been meant for. Hugh filled his heart and soul in a way that no one else could.

And the most wonderful thing was that he made Hugh feel the same way, that he was loved as much as he loved. It brought joy to his heart and wonder to his soul.

This was the way things should be between them. The way they had always been meant to be. He and Hugh, forever lovers, together for the rest of their lives. The thought made a smile curve Mads' lips, his heart singing with happiness.

He closed his eyes, relaxing back against the soft cushions of the couch with Hugh clasped in his arms. He didn't know just how things would go when they were back on the set, but he was sure that the future looked bright. They would simply take it one day at a time.


	14. Nothing To Hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads has no intention of hiding his relationship with Hugh.

Mads surreptitiously watched Hugh as the young man blocked a scene with their director, unable to take his eyes off his lover. Somehow, Hugh looked even more beautiful to him today than he had in the weeks before; he was irresistible.

He couldn't hold back a smile at that thought; Hugh had always been irresistible to him, but never more so now that they were a couple.

He couldn't stop watching Hugh, admiring everything about him. Not only how he looked, but the way he moved, the way he spoke, the intelligence that sparked behind those brilliant blue eyes. There was nothing about his young lover that he didn't find utterly fascinating.

Hugh watched him in the same way. He could feel that intense blue gaze on him when he least expected it; he had glanced up in Hugh's direction several times today to meet that gaze, the two of them sharing a secret smile before looking away again.

Did anyone guess that their relationship had changed?

If they did, they hadn't made it obvious. No one had thrown them any assessing glances; no one had been smirking at them, or watching them as though they were trying to see if anything could possibly be there other than friendship.

Was it time for them to do something that brought their relationship out into the open? Mads didn't want to hide what Hugh meant to him; he wanted to be able to embrace his boyfriend freely in front of their friends and colleagues, to show everyone that they were together.

He was sure that Hugh wanted the same thing, but they hadn't really talked about it yet, and he didn't want to make any overt moves without Hugh's permission.

What would they do if anyone they worked with disapproved of their new relationship? Mads wasn't sure how he would deal with that, but he hoped that he would manage to deflect any criticism without losing his temper. Though it might not be easy.

There was nothing wrong with the two of them being involved. Nothing.

They had nothing to hide, Mads told himself firmly. If people didn't approve of them being together, then that wasn't their problem. They weren't hurting anyone, and they made each other happy. In Mads' eyes, their happiness was the only thing that really mattered.

It was so hard to tell if anyone guessed, but then, he hadn't really tried. What would he see in the eyes of his colleagues if he engaged them in conversation?

Mads was sure that he wouldn't see censure. No, he was positive that everyone here would be supportive of his relationship with Hugh; these were their friends, people who knew them, and they would all be glad that both of them had found happiness.

Any problems would come from outside the isolated little world of their profession. There might be fans who would be upset to find out that they were a couple, people who had their own fantasies about what the two of them were like.

But in the long run, no one's opinions really mattered.

All that was really important was that they had each other, he told himself firmly. As long as he had Hugh, he had all the happiness in the world in his arms and in his heart. He needed nothing else other than the man he loved at his side to make him perfectly content.

Hugh finished working on the upcoming scene, turning to smile at Mads. And in that moment, Mads was sure that he could feel his heart turning over in his chest. That beautiful smile could make his spirits soar, make him feel as though the world was at his feet.

No, he needed nothing more than knowing Hugh was his to make him happy. And their being together was not wrong. It never could be.

They had nothing to hide, no reason to think that anyone would disapprove of them. If anyone did, then it wouldn't touch them. He refused to let it. This was _right_ , and it was what he had wanted ever since the first time he and Hugh had met.

This was his life. _Their_ life, together, as he had always wanted.

"Looks like that's it, until this afternoon," Hugh told him, his soft voice seeming to wrap around Mads' senses. "We should go out to lunch somewhere. There's a two-hour break, and I want to spend it with you. If you don't have any other plans, that is."

"Of course I don't," Mads said softly. "What other plans could I have, other than spending time with you?" His voice was soft, almost seductive.

He hadn't planned it, didn't know where the movement came from. But within seconds, his arms were sliding around Hugh's waist, and he was pulling the other man close, nuzzling his cheek, then kissing him with an intensity and fervor that startled them both.

When he broke away, Hugh's blue eyes were wide with surprise -- and Mads could see that people were watching them. There were startled looks on a few faces, but nearly everyone was smiling; from what he could fathom, there was no disapproval at all.

And even if there had been, he wouldn't care.

Mads laughed softly, looking into Hugh's eyes and seeing the answering laughter there. He could see love shining in the depths of those blue eyes, a love that he was sure was reflected in his own gaze. Hugh, too, seemed to feel that they had nothing to hide.

"What do you say to finding a quiet corner and spending the next two hours together?" he murmured into Hugh's ear, sure of what the answer would be.

Hugh smiled again, leaning forward to brush a kiss across his cheek. As they reluctantly pulled away from each other, Mads took his boyfriend's hand to lead him away from the set, aware that their colleagues were watching them, and proud that they weren't trying to hide.


	15. What Everybody Thinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads is startled to hear that Hugh is ready to take their physical relationship to the next level.

"Everybody thinks we're lovers."

"What do you mean by _everybody_?" Mads asked Hugh, smiling as he asked the question. He didn't really care what "everybody" might happen to think. The only person whose opinion about their relationship had any bearing with him was Hugh.

"Everybody we work with," Hugh told him, laughing softly. "People keep asking me if we're going to move in together, if we're going to get engaged, married, and all that sort of thing. I tell them that we've only just gotten together. That's all in the future."

"Is that what you would like for our future to be like, my love?" Mads asked him, capturing one of Hugh's hands and kissing his fingers. "Because it can certainly be arranged."

Hugh laughed softly, nodding as he sat down on the couch next to Mads and leaned against him. Mads put an arm around his shoulders, drawing Hugh close against him. He loved cuddling on the couch like this, especially after a long day on the set.

Somehow, nothing at work seemed to be hard to do any more now that he was with Hugh. There had been times when he worried about whether he was getting the essence of his character across on the screen, but now, it all seemed effortless.

Perhaps that was what being in love did for him.

He had never thought that he could love like this. He had known how he felt about Hugh, of course, had known that he was in love, but the strength of that love amazed him.

It was amazing to him that he could have loved so strongly for all of those years that he and Hugh hadn't been together, and yet when they had finally found each other again, his feelings hadn't diminished. That was a testament to his love for Hugh.

What other people might think of that love didn't matter, but Mads knew that they would have to make some sort of public statement at some point, just to satisfy people.

"I'm not surprised that people think we are lovers," Mads told Hugh, pressing a kiss against the younger man's hair. "We _are_ lovers, Hugh. Not in the physical sense as of yet, but lovers just the same. After all, we are _in_ love."

Hugh nodded, but a small sigh escaped him. "I .... wish we _were_ lovers in the physical way," he said softly, his voice a mere whisper of sound.

Mads stilled, feeling a current of excitement run through his body.

"Are you saying that you are .... ready for us to cross that last barrier?" he inquired, almost holding his breath as he waited for Hugh's answer.

Hugh hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Maybe not _all_ the way, yet," he said softly. "But I'm more than ready to .... explore." He curled up against Mads' side, looking up at the other man. "I know you want us to take our time, but --"

"But you feel that you're ready," Mads interrupted, nodding. "I can understand that, love. If you're sure that you want us to move forward, then I am more than ready for it."

Actually, he was aroused beyond anything he'd ever known before. Hugh wanted him. Hugh was ready for them to take the next step.

All he wanted was to take Hugh in his arms, get them upstairs, and take this beautiful man to bed. Though he knew that there would be more to the situation than that; he had to prepare Hugh, get him used to not only the idea of lovemaking, but the physical realities.

Making love was something that he would have to ease Hugh into; it wasn't something that could simply be over and done with quickly. It was something for them both to enjoy, to savor.

And he intended to savor every moment.

"I think it's past time that we turned what everybody thinks into a reality," Hugh said softly, bringing Mads out of his thoughts. "I don't want to wait any longer, Mads."

"Are you sure about this?" Mads asked, wanting to make sure that Hugh knew exactly what he was asking. "This is still a very new relationship, Hugh, even though the two of us have loved each other for a long time. Being physical is an entirely new aspect."

Hugh nodded, turning the intensity of his blue gaze on Mads. "I know it is, but I'm ready for that." He gave Mads a somewhat tremulous smile. "A little hesitant, but ready."

"Hugh ...." Mads raised a hand to grasp his boyfriend's chin, their gazes meeting. "If you feel even a small bit hesitant, then it's not time for us to make love yet. I want you to want this wholeheartedly, not simply because of what others think about us."

"I do," Hugh insisted, shaking his head. "Mads, I want you. I've wanted you ever since we first met. It's only natural to be a little hesitant, isn't it?"

Mads had to agree with that assessment. It _was_ natural to be nervous.

"It isn't as though I don't want you, you know," he said, his voice very soft and gentle. "You know that I do. I have ever since the first time I saw you. But I do not want our relationship to move forward just because others think we're lovers."

"That's not the reason," Hugh said, his voice equally soft. "You know it isn't. I want to be with you, Mads. Wholly and completely. In every way."

"You will be, my love." Mads couldn't help but smile at Hugh's words. In his eyes, he and Hugh _were_ each other's already, in every possible way. It didn't matter that the physical side of things hadn't happened yet. It would, soon enough. He was sure of that.

But if Hugh was ready for it now, then there was no reason to hold back. He didn't want to, and if Hugh didn't either ... well, that said it all.

He doubted that they would take that physical side all the way tonight; he wanted to work up to that, to take things slowly, to get Hugh accustomed to all of the new and intoxicating sensations that came with making love to a man. They had plenty of time.

But tonight, he could start the ball rolling.

Getting to his feet, he held out a hand to Hugh, smiling softly at his lover. "Well, then, shall we take the rest of the evening upstairs?"

Hugh smiled in answer, accepting Mads' hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet. Mads wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist, bowing his head for a soft, gentle kiss -- a kiss that immediately turned passionate, searing him with its heat.

A surge of desire rushed through him, a desire that he couldn't hold back. Maybe they _would_ make love tonight. There was really no reason to hold back.

He wanted Hugh with an intensity that took his breath away. He had never wanted anyone like this, never thought that it was possible to feel such desire for anyone. He wanted to make Hugh physically his, to make love to him all night and well into the next day.

That might be a little too much for Hugh's first time, Mads thought with an inward smile. But there was so much they could do, so much to enjoy.

It would start now, as soon as they got to the bedroom.


	16. You Do Something To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh and Mads finally consummate their relationship.

His heart was thumping, pounding, galloping in his chest.

Hugh let Mads lead him into the bedroom, unable to stop himself from trembling at the mere thought of what was going to happen between them. It was going to happen tonight. Mads was finally going to make love to him. He'd finally lose his virginity.

Well, technically that had happened years ago, but this was completely different. Being with a man was going to be infinitely different from being with a woman; he wouldn't be the one in charge here. He would be the one who had to learn.

He wished that he knew more about what he was doing; of course, he knew the basics of what went where, but that was only the technical side of making love. There was so much else that he had never done before, so much that Mads would have to show him.

As much as he looked forward to it, he had to admit that he was somewhat frightened, as well. He wanted Mads, yes, but he hadn't thought that this would happen so soon. Still, he knew that he was ready. He wanted Mads to be his lover in deed as well as in words.

Mads turned to him when they were standing by the side of his bed, wrapping his arms around Hugh and drawing him close. "I understand if you feel you aren't ready," he said softly, his lips soft against Hugh's hair. "We have all the time in the world, my love."

No, they didn't. Their lives were finite. Hugh knew that.

But Hugh shook his head, pulling away slightly to gaze at Mads. They had waited long enough; everybody they worked with thought they were lovers, and he wanted them to _be_ lovers. "No, Mads," he said softly, his gaze fixed on Mads' face. "I don't want to wait any longer."

"You don't have to, my love," Mads whispered, gently laying Hugh down on the bed. He could feel a rush of adrenaline through his body; this was what he had wanted for so long, spent so many years fantasizing about all the time they had been apart.

And it was finally happening. He was finally going to make love to Hugh, to join their bodies in the ultimate physical pleasure as their hearts and souls were already joined. Hugh was going to be his in every way, not just in words, but in the act of love as well.

It only took him a moment to remove his shirt, then to lean down and pull Hugh's t-shirt off over his head. His dark eyes roamed over the pale skin that had just been revealed to his hungry gaze; he could never get enough of drinking in Hugh's beauty.

This beauty was _his_ , he told himself. His to have and to hold, his to touch, to kiss, to love, his to make love to. Hugh had given himself freely and unhesitatingly; Mads intended to spend the rest of his life making this man happy and holding him close.

It started tonight. The rest of their lives were spread out ahead of them.

This was the first night of the rest of their lives, Mads told himself with an inward smile. Only the first night that they would make love and share their bodies with each other, only the first night that they would find the ultimate pleasure in each other's arms.

Hugh was trembling; he could not only sense the tremors, but see them. With a murmured endearment in his native language, he lay down beside the younger man, pulling Hugh into his arms and kissing him, his hands moving slowly and gently down his back.

Within just a few moments, Hugh's trembling had stopped; his arms were wrapped around Mads, and he was kissing him back enthusiastically. Mads made quick work of Hugh's jeans, unzipping them and pulling them down his long legs to toss them aside on the floor.

His own jeans followed only seconds later, and they were naked next to each other, skin to skin. He could feel Hugh's erection against his thigh; Mads shifted his position slightly so that his own erection rubbed against Hugh's, making the younger man gasp.

He didn't want to pin Hugh down; that might feel too restrictive, and make his younger lover shrink away from him, which was the last thing he wanted. Instead, he rolled carefully onto his side, Hugh still in his arms, and reached for the drawer of the bedside table.

It was a good thing that he knew just where to find the lube.

It only took him a moment to retrieve the small tube, an ever shorter time to coat his fingers with the slippery substance and move his hand between Hugh's spread thighs.

Hugh gasped as Mads' fingertip circled his entrance, pressing gently. The pressure made him spread his legs further, a slight whimper coming from his throat.

"Are you all right, love?" Mads asked, his tone anxious. For a moment, the pressure stopped, and Hugh nodded, afraid that Mads would stop. He didn't want to stop; he wanted this to go on to its completion, wanted the last barrier between them broken down for good.

"I'm fine," he managed to gasp, arching his back and raising his hips, silently asking for more. "Don't stop, Mads. It feels good," he added, raising his arms to wind them around the other man's neck and pull him down for a soft kiss that quickly turned passionate.

When Mads' lips touched his, Hugh was more convinced than ever that this was what he wanted, that they were doing the right thing by making love now and not waiting.

They'd already waited long enough. All of the years that he'd fantasized about Mads making love to him were in the past. This was the present, and it was _real_ and immediate.

He would see this through, and they would be closer than ever.

That finger continued to press against his entrance until the tip slid inside him; there was a slight burning sensation, then an unusual feeling of being filled. Hugh took a deep breath, closing his eyes, forcing his muscles to relax.

And then there was nothing but pleasure as that finger sank deeper inside him, joined by a second one only a moment later. Mads began to slowly move his fingers, scissoring them, gently opening Hugh slowly but firmly. The sensation was more pleasurable than Hugh had expected it to be.

He almost groaned in protest when Mads' fingers slid out of him, but he knew what had to be coming next. He held his breath, opening his eyes as Mads leaned over him. His arms tightened around the older man's neck; he was ready, simply waiting for the first thrust.

When it came, Hugh could only cry out, both in pain and pleasure. A quicksilver pain shot through his body, like a flame that pierced his flesh, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared, to be replaced by a pure, mounting pleasure that bloomed and spread.

The sensation of being filled wasn't unpleasant, though it took a few moments of getting used to. After the initial thrust, Mads simply stayed inside him, still and quiet, waiting, giving his body a chance to adjust to the new feeling.

It didn't take long for him to do so. It felt .... _right_. 

Mads pulled back slightly, then thrust forward, his hips undulating against Hugh's. Hugh moaned the other man's name, his arms tightening around Mads' neck, lifting his legs to wrap them around his lover's waist, to hold him even closer.

It only took a few moments for their rhythms to sync with each other; each thrust brought an answering moan from Hugh, their bodies moving together, giving each other pleasure unlike anything he'd ever known. This was more than a physical connection; this wasn't merely their bodies.

This was their hearts and souls melding into each other, becoming a part of each other. He had never known that making love could be like this. He had never felt this with anyone else; this closeness was a completely new feeling, something he'd never thought he would experience.

This joining, this connection -- it only made his love for Mads all the stronger. He had known that finally making love would do that, but he hadn't realized just _how_ much closer he would feel to his lover, as though he and Mads were now a part of each other.

His orgasm was unfolding like a flower starting to blossom; Hugh felt a momentary pang that it was coming so soon, but he didn't want to stop it. He wanted to let the power of that first climax with Mads take him over, engulf him, carry him to the stars.

And when that climax broke over him, it did transport him to the heavens.

Hugh lay there for long moments, breathing heavily, blinking up at the ceiling, trying to get his senses to come back down to earth. Dimly, he felt Mads slowly pulling out of him and rolling over onto his side to pull Hugh into his arms, those strong arms holding him close.

He never wanted to move from this position; he wanted to spend the rest of his life here in the warm circle of Mads' embrace, to know that he was loved and wanted. He was exactly where he belonged, and he knew that after tonight, nothing would ever take him from this man's side.

"You do something to me, my love," Mads whispered into his ear, his words accompanied by a soft laugh. "You make me want to make love to you over and over, until we are both so exhausted that neither of us can move. But tonight, I think that once is enough, yes?"

Hugh wanted to protest, to say that he wanted it to happen again, that he could never get enough of Mads making love to him. But he knew that if they went at it again, he would probably be sore in the morning -- and he didn't want it to be obvious on the set.

So instead, he merely smiled into his lover's dark eyes, nodding in agreement. "You do something to me, too," he said softly, raising a hand to stroke gentle fingertips down Mads' cheek. "And you can keep doing anything you want to me. For the rest of our lives."

Mads laughed softly, pulling him closer and capturing his mouth in a soft, warm kiss.

He had done it. He had crossed the last barrier that separated him from the man he loved, and it had been even more wonderful that he'd ever dreamed it could be. Making love with Mads had been a revelation; it had shown him that all his fears had been baseless.

All the walls that had stood between them had finally crumbled to the ground, and Hugh was immeasurably glad that they no longer existed. There was nothing to keep them from each other now, nothing that stood in the way of their relationship moving forward.

There were no longer any hindrances to them moving forward into an even deeper relationship, nothing that could hold them back now. He had finally leaped over that chasm that separated them, knocked down the last barrier. And nothing had ever felt better.

Hugh smiled as he pressed his nude body closer against Mads' bare skin; suddenly, he didn't care if he was limping a little tomorrow, or what people might think of it. All he wanted was for Mads to make love to him again, to be inside him, to _take_ him.

Mads did something to him, all right. His lover lifted him out of the life he'd been living and led him into an entirely new life, a life where he could finally be himself. He would never go back to his old way of life -- and he would never look back, either.

He was right where he needed and wanted to be. Safe and happy in his lover's arms.


	17. Anyone Can See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads is sure that it's obvious to everyone just what he and Hugh mean to each other.

Anyone could see that his relationship with Hugh had changed.

Ever since they had found each other again and confessed their feelings, he'd been a bit protective of Hugh. But now that they were lovers in truth, physically as well as emotionally, he was sure that the fact showed in the way they acted around each other.

He was even more protective of Hugh than he had already been, and Hugh seemed to be the same towards him. It was obvious that they were lovers.

Well, obvious to anyone who cared to look. Some people probably hadn't noticed at all; they would simply think that the two men were close friends. They would probably never think that the two of them were deeply in love, committed to each other fully.

But anyone who couldn't see their feelings must be blind, Mads told himself with a soft chuckle. They hadn't tried to hide them in the slightest.

Why should they? he asked himself. They were two adults, and they had left their past relationships behind them. They were free to be with whoever they wished, and if others didn't like that, well, that was too bad. But that wouldn't change their feelings.

Would it be so obvious to people who didn't know them?

He was sure that once the show had finished filming, they would have to do interviews to promote it. And then people would see the two of them together, and speculate.

The speculation didn't bother him. He didn't care if people knew about his relationship with Hugh; indeed, he intended to make that relationship public. He didn't feel that they had anything to hide, or any reason to hide what they felt about each other.

But it bothered him that people might see their relationship as something lascivious, as something that was more lust than love.

He didn't want anyone to view them in that light.

He hated the idea that people might look at the two of them with smirks on their faces, and think that they were only together because of a sexual attraction and nothing more. He didn't want anyone to think that what he felt for Hugh was anything less than a true, pure love.

Why should it matter so much? Mads sighed softly, admitting to himself that he shouldn't let what anyone else thought matter. It shouldn't be important.

Yet somehow, it was. The idea that anyone could think h and Hugh were nothing more than a passing sexual attraction made him .... _livid_. He would never disrespect Hugh in that way. And he didn't want anyone to think that his love could ever be seen as a passing fancy.

Anyone should be able to see that they were in love.

This wasn't something that was going to end in a few weeks, or months. The two of them wouldn't walk away from each other. This was something that was going to last for the rest of their lives, and only grow stronger as more time time went by.

What they felt for each other shone through; Mads was sure that it showed on their faces whenever they looked at each other.

He knew that when he looked at Hugh, he couldn't keep a smile from spreading over his face. The mere thought that Hugh was _his_ Why should it matter? This wasn't about the show; it was about himself and Hugh, and their future together. They wouldn't have much of a future if they couldn't be honest about their relationship.

He didn't want to hide. He didn't want speculation and gossip about them. He wanted them to be honest, to be out in the open, with no secrets hidden away.

Hugh wasn't some kind of dirty little secret, and he wasn't going to be treated as one. Mads was proud of their relationship, more than he'd ever been of anything in his life. There was no reason for them to hide, no reason for them to be ashamed.

If people thought there was, well, those people didn't need to be in their lives.

Anyone could see how the two of them felt about each other; they just had to look closely enough. Really, they didn't have to look all that closely.

It was there in the way that Hugh smiled at him, in the way that they touched each other. It was there in every gesture, every look, even the smallest glance. Mads was sure that the air around them radiated love when they were together.

How could anyone _not_ realize how they felt? And now that they were lovers in truth, that connection was even more obvious, even more pronounced.

He loved it. He reveled in it. He never wanted to let it go.

And he would never let it go. Now that he and Hugh had found each other again after being apart for so long, now that they had been given a second chance at love, he was going to hold on to that chance, hold on to the man he had always loved.

Nothing was going to make them part again. Barriers had been broken down, inhibitions had been cast aside, fears had been vanquished. They were together now.

They would stay together. Mads had no doubt of that. They might have to be away from each other in the physical sense at times, when one of them was filming or had career obligations, but they would never be out of each other's hearts.

That thought made Mads smile. They had never been out of each other's hearts, not even when they were parted. They had always loved each other. And they always would.

Anyone could see that. All people had to do was look at them to know that they were lovers -- and in love. Mads wanted that to show. He wanted the world to know that he loved Hugh Dancy. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, to broadcast his happiness to the world.

He wanted everyone to see that he was a man in love.


	18. Public Statement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected encounter with paparazzi on a rainy day may out Hugh and Mads as a couple.

Mads pulled Hugh close against him, trying to shield his boyfriend from the rain. A squall had blown up after they had decided to go out for coffee, and neither of them had expected it, so they hadn't brought umbrellas with them.

There hadn't seemed to be a lot of people in the coffee shop when they'd gone there, but now, it was as if the entire city had decided to take shelter here.

Mads simply wanted to leave, to get out before he and Hugh were recognized. He didn't really feel uneasy about meeting fans, but he was anxious to get back home and spend some time with Hugh alone. He'd felt that way all day.

It felt as though they didn't have enough time to themselves.

Hugh's fingers threaded through his, squeezing gently. When Mads turned to look at him, there was a soft smile on those beautiful lips; Hugh leaned forward and brushed his mouth against Mads', very slowly and gently, almost seductively.

"Don't be in such a hurry," he whispered against Mads' lips. "Let's just enjoy the rain. It's cold, but I think it's pretty, in a way. And there'll be a rainbow."

Mads nodded, relaxing and closing his eyes ad Hugh's lips met his once more. There was no hurry to get home; they would be there in good time.

It didn't occur to him that there might be reporters around; he let out a startled exclamation and opened his eyes when he felt rather than saw a bright flash go off, nearly in his face. At first, he thought ti was thunder, but it had been the flash of a camera.

Paparazzi. And they had caught the two of them kissing on film.

A wave of apprehension swept through Mads; the two of them hadn't let it be publicly known that they were seeing each other, but this would probably out them before they were ready. Hugh glanced at him, a look of apprehension on his handsome face.

Well, there was nothing for it now but to deal with the consequences. The photographer had already left; no doubt that picture would be everywhere in a few hours.

They hadn't intended to make a public statement, but it seemed that was exactly what they had done. And it was too late now to turn back the clock

Well, it couldn't be undone. They would simply have to deal with whatever happened.

Mads didn't doubt that the two of them kissing would be all over the internet before much longer, and cause a sensation. He sighed as he grasped Hugh's hand and held it tightly; this day was definitely _not_ going the way that he'd thought it would.


	19. Brought To the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that has relationship with Mads has been outed, Hugh knows that he'll have to face some problems.

Well, everything had been brought to light now.

Hugh sighed as he looked at the headline in the newspaper; it was obvious that their secret, such as it was, had been outed. There they were, he and Mads, on the front page of the entertainment section, caught in a liplock, obviously passionate about each other.

He wasn't ashamed of that. He never would be. But he was angry to have been outed to the world in such a way, before either of them was ready.

What were they going to do about it? Hugh sighed again, knowing that there was nothing they _could_ do. The damage was done; all they could do now was gracefully tell the world that yes, they were a couple, and deal with whatever fallout there was.

And there was sure to be a lot.

His ex-wife was going to have a field day with this, he thought bitterly. She and her new boyfriend would more than likely try to get sole custody of his son, saying that they didn't want the child to be around a man who was romantically involved with another man.

But he couldn't give Mads up. He couldn't turn his back on the one person, other than his son, who he loved more than anything in the world.

Would he have to make a choice between the two of them? The thought chilled Hugh to the bone. He didn't want to have such a terrible choice presented to him.

He couldn't give up the love of his life, but he couldn't let his child be taken away from him, either. Now that his relationship with Mads had been brought to the light, there was every chance of that happening. If it came to pass, it would destroy him. He was sure of that.

But he wasn't going to panic. Not yet.

Mads was lucky that his former spouse was understanding, and that they had parted amicably. He hadn't been so lucky; his impending divorce would be an acrimonious one, and he was sure that this was only going to add fuel to the fire.

This could end up being a long, protracted battle, Hugh thought, closing his eyes and raising a hand to his head. The headaches over it were already beginning.

But he _would_ come out on the winning end, he told himself firmly. He would get shared custody of his son, no matter what he had to do. And he couldn't give up his lover. Everything would work out. It had to. He had to make sure that it did.

If it didn't, then his whole world would be plunged into darkness.


	20. Breaking Their Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they've been outed as a couple, Mads know that he and Hugh have to talk about their relationship publicly.

"We can't be silent about this, Hugh." Mads shook his head, frowning.

He didn't understand why Hugh was so adamant about not talking to anyone about their relationship. The truth was out now, whether or not they wanted it to be, and he saw no reason to stay quiet. They might as well be honest about who they were.

Mads didn't think that Hugh was ashamed of them; rather, he thought the younger man was being cautious about their future together.

He knew that Hugh was worried, and really, he had a right to be. After all, most relationships within the film industry didn't last for long. Hugh had every right to be cautious about his future, especially as he had a young child to consider.

But it still hurt a bit that he didn't seem to want to acknowledge them.

Hugh looked at him, sighing, then sat down on the couch next to him and laid his head on Mads' shoulder, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"It's not that I don't want the world to know about us, Mads," he said, his voice very soft. "I just wanted us to come out in our time, in our own way. I hate having our hand forced like this. It just feels like now, we're _obligated_ to talk about our relationship."

Mads shook his head, wanting to disabuse Hugh of that feeling. "No, love, we're not," he said, his voice just as soft as Hugh's had been. "We don't have to talk about our relationship with anyone unless we are _both_ ready to do it. I promise you that."

"I want people to know about us," Hugh said with a sigh. "I had just hoped that we could do it quietly, and not have such a big public fuss about it."

Mads nodding, agreeing with his young lover.

"I feel the same way," he said, raising a hand to run his fingers through Hugh's soft curls. "But I believe you have to agree that now, keeping our silence about what we are to each other wouldn't be good. It would only make it appear as though we're ashamed of our relationship."

Hugh nodded slowly, reluctantly. "I suppose you're right about that. I don't want anyone to think that I'm in the least ashamed to be with you, because I'm not."

"I know you aren't, my love," Mads said softly, bowing his head to press his lips against Hugh's forehead. "I know that breaking our silence won't be easy, and there may be some fallout. But in the end, I believe that it's what will be best for both of us."

He only hoped that those words would prove to be true.


	21. Clouds Rolling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh refuses to let anyone make him feel ashamed of his relationship with Mads.

The dark clouds had already come rolling in.

Hugh glanced at the newspaper's entertainment section, one that he'd always enjoyed reading before that horrible article that had outed him and Mads.

What was written there might seem to be mere speculation, but a lot of it was closer to the truth than he was comfortable with. How did they know that he and Mads were living together on a permanent basis? He hadn't told anyone that they were.

It was obvious that he was _staying_ with Mads while the show was filming, but jumping to conclusions because of that was ridiculous.

Yet people seemed to have done just that.

His hands balled into fists at his sides before he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and forced himself to relax. There was really no reason to get angry.

After all, what good would it do? People would still pass judgment on the two of them, no matter what they might do or say. All they could do was live their lives, continue with their relationship, and if anyone didn't like that, they would ignore those people.

No one could tell them what to do, Hugh reminded himself. They were adults, capable of making their own personal choices.

But it was so annoying to feel that they were being watched and judged, when nobody had the right to say anything about what they chose to do.

They weren't hurting anyone, Hugh thought resentfully. They were happy with each other, and that was the only thing that should matter. They weren't doing anything wrong by being in love, though people who didn't have open minds would say that they were.

Those were the people who brought the dark clouds into their lives, who tried to rip away the silver lining and replace it with black hatred.

Well, he wouldn't let them do it.

No one was going to make him feel guilty for loving Mads. And he wasn't going to let anyone's little black storm clouds rain on their parade.

He was proud of his relationship with Mads; he saw no reason to hide it. Though he'd prefer for them to have been able to come out when they were ready, instead of being forced into it, he was going to hold his head high, and show the world that he had nothing to hide.

It might feel as though a cloud was hovering over them now, but in time, it would go away. That cloud wasn't going to affect them; it wouldn't make them care for each other any less.

And no cloud, no matter how dark, would ever tear them apart.


	22. The Final Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through all that life throws at them, Mads and Hugh are determined to stay together.

"I don't want you to think about anything but this moment."

Hugh nodded as he looked up at Mads, his blue eyes cloudy with passion. Mads was right. They didn't need to think about anything but the two of them.

Nothing else existed outside of this bedroom, outside of the love they felt for each other. It didn't matter what anyone else might think of their relationship; all that mattered was that they loved each other, and that they were finally together, after so many years of waiting.

They might have to go through some times of trouble, but they would have the final victory, as long as they stuck together and didn't let their love fade.

Mads looked down at him, those dark eyes glowing with the light of love.

"I love you, Hugh," he whispered, his voice very soft in the quiet of the room. "I have loved you ever since we first met. And that love will never fade."

Hugh almost wanted to cry when he heard those words; he felt the same way about Mads, and he knew that every syllable was the truth. Mads loved him; he could see it in those eyes, feel it in his lover's gentle touch. There was nothing but love between them.

Together, they would win the final victory over everyone who might disapprove of what they had together. It didn't matter what those people said or thought.

Their road wasn't always going to be easy. He knew that. He'd known it from the first, from the day that he had shown up at Mads' front door.

But whatever they had to face in the future, it was worth facing for them to be together. He had made his choice, and he wasn't backing away from it. Mads was what he wanted, what he had always wanted, though he'd tried to fool himself into thinking that he was content.

He'd never been truly happy, not until he and Mads had connected again. And now that they had, Hugh had no intention of ever letting his lover go.

They belonged together, no matter what the rest of the world might think.

"You are mine, and I am yours," Mads whispered, raising a hand to stroke Hugh's hair. "What the outside world thinks is not important. Only you and I are."

Hugh nodded again, his blue gaze fixed on Mads' face. He wanted to believe those words; he _had_ to believe them. He _would_ believe them. This man who he loved was the one fixed, constant point in his life, in a world that was ever-changing.

They had lost each other once. That would never happen again, Hugh vowed to himself. They'd won a victory by being together, and they would stay together.

And through anything that was thrown at them, the final victory would be theirs.


	23. A Promise By Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads makes Hugh a solemn promise that he intends to keep.

"This is only beginning, Mads. It'll get worse from here."

Hugh's shoulders slumped; his voice sounded tired, defeated. Mads looked at him worriedly, hoping that his young lover wasn't giving up on them.

Their relationship had only started so recently; he didn't want to think that Hugh could already be having second thoughts about it, not after it had taken them so long to find each other again, after so many years of yearning for what they thought they could never have.

He had never been as happy in his life as he had been these past few weeks with Hugh. He wasn't ready for that to end so abruptly. Not now, not ever.

He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Hugh. And he hoped that Hugh wanted the same.

But he did have to agree with Hugh's assessment of the situation they were in. The publicity about the two of them was only going to get worse.

They were under the scrutiny of the media day and night now that they had been unwillingly outed; he was sure that even now, when it felt as though they were alone under the moonlight, strolling over a small bridge after leaving a restaurant, they were being observed.

He didn't doubt that a picture of them would show up in some magazine or tabloid rag tomorrow, particularly if they kissed and ti was caught by a camera.

But dammit, he was tired of feeling as though he had to be careful of everything he said and did. He didn't want to spend his life with Hugh looking over his shoulder.

They shouldn't have to worry about what anyone else thought. But Hugh's ex-wife was going to make things very difficult now that she knew her former husband was in a relationship with a man. She might even try to block Hugh's access to his child.

Mads knew that he couldn't allow that to happen. It would break Hugh's heart, and he couldn't bear to see that -- or to feel guilty for being part of the reason.

The future wouldn't be easy, but they had to find a way to make it through.

Mads stopped walking, drawing Hugh into his arms. He didn't care who might snap a picture of them. He _needed_ to ease his lover's fears about the future.

"Hugh, I make you this solemn promise by moonlight," he murmured, his dark gaze holding Hugh's. "We will see this through, and the two of us will always be together. No matter what happens, I will be with you, always by your side. Together, we will overcome whatever is thrown at us."

With those words, he bent his head to take Hugh's lips with his, pulling the younger man close against his body and holding him near.

A promise made by moonlight was the strongest vow that he knew.


	24. Only Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads hates seeing what the tabloids have to say about his relationship with Hugh.

Mads frowned down at the tabloid in front of him, hating what he saw.

Words, he told himself. Just words. Words could wound, but their effect wasn't lasting. Those words would fade away and be forgotten in time.

The papers were making his relationship with Hugh out to be something lurid and dirty, something that people should be shocked at, when it was nothing of the kind.

Their relationship was pure and beautiful; it was loving, heartfelt, meant to be. He had loved Hugh for ten long years; there was nothing sensational about the fact that they had waited so long to find each other again and to finally be together.

If they were a heterosexual couple, instead of being two men in love, then they wouldn't be seen in this way, he thought sourly. It was so unfair.

But it was how things were at the moment, and they had to deal with it.

Mads felt as though he'd finally been able to grasp the brass ring, to take a bite out of the largest, juiciest apple possible -- and now, it was being snatched away from him.

He wanted to push these disturbing words away, to protest them all, to make people understand that he and Hugh _loved_ each other and that their relationship wasn't simply something that was based on a fleeting sensation. It was something that would _last_.

He sighed softly, closing his eyes and resting his head in his hand. Of course, that was what _everyone_ thought when they first embarked on a new relationship.

This time was different, though. This time, he was _right_ about their relationship lasting. They had waited ten years for each other, after all.

What he felt for Hugh was so much more than a fleeting lust that would fade away and disappear once it had been sated. He loved this man; he wanted to spend his life with Hugh. He felt that they'd wasted too much time apart already.

Could other people be expected to understand that? Especially people who thought that two men being in love with each other was intrinsically wrong?

Mads scowled at that thought, pushing it away firmly.

He wasn't going to let what other people might think about their relationship affect them. The only feelings that mattered in this case were _theirs_.

What anyone else might think of them wasn't important in the long run. Hugh's ex-wife could stir up all the trouble she wanted to; they would overcome it. They would both take a bite out of that apple, and they would enjoy it to the fullest.

These were only words, and mere words couldn't harm them. In the long run, their relationship would be accepted, and those cruel words would be forgotten.

At least, that was how he hoped things would work out.

If they didn't, then their relationship would be traveling a bumpy road. Mads sighed, crumpling the paper and throwing it away. He was already starting to feel the strain.


	25. Like Silk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads intends to savor every moment of making love to Hugh.

Hugh had skin like the softest, lightest silk.

Mads wanted nothing more than to let his hands and lips feast on that silken skin forever, for this night to never end, for them to stay like this for all of eternity.

Of course, that couldn't happen; all good things came to an end, and their lovemaking couldn't be stretched out into infinity. But he would make it last for as long as he could; he would pleasure them both to the best of his ability, and let that be enough until the next time.

All he wanted at the moment was to taste Hugh, to discover every inch of his body over again; he'd been doing that for the past hour now.

No matter how much he had of Hugh, it would never be enough.

He had waited so long to find his love again; there had been so many sleepless nights when he had thought of Hugh, wishing that this young man was by his side.

And now, somehow, miraculously, he was. They had reconnected, finding each other with not only their hearts and souls, but their bodies as well. He had never believed that this could happen, but now that it had, he wasn't going to let go. Not ever.

Hugh was his. His to love, his to kiss, his to touch and taste and savour. Hugh _belonged_ to him, heart, body and soul. Just as he belonged to Hugh.

His lips trailed down Hugh's stomach, down to the apex of his thighs, taking the young man's cock into his mouth as his hands trailed down the soft skin of his sides.

Oh, yes, this was all he wanted, all he needed. Just being with Hugh, tasting him like this, touching him, knowing that he would be inside this delectable, beautiful body in just a short while, uniting the two of them in love and desire. That was enough for him.

He could never get enough of Hugh, never be satiated. His scent, his soft moans, the feel of his skin, the tightness of his body when Mads pushed inside him.

It all combined to send him spiraling up to dizzying heights.

Hugh's hands were in his hair, not quite guiding him, but not letting him go, either. He knew what his lover wanted, and Mads intended to give it to him.

His hands moved down, fingertips caressing the silken skin of Hugh's inner thighs as he pushed the other man's legs further apart. His mouth began to move down the length of Hugh's shaft, taking more of him into his mouth, moaning softly as he did.

Ah, this was pure and utter bliss. And within a short while, when he was buried deep inside Hugh, the bliss would flower, blossom, and come to fruition.

The night was still young, and he intended to make the most of every moment.


	26. Not Worth the Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh has to keep reminding himself that it isn't worth his time or trouble to be upset at the press.

"Mr. Dancy! Mr. Dancy, look this way!"

Hugh ignored the shouts of the reporters; they weren't going to get his attention. He was getting pretty good at ignoring them, pretending that they weren't there.

There was really nothing else he could do, was there? If he acknowledged them, then they would be in his face every moment that he was either working on the set, or behind closed doors at home with Mads. They would hound him night and day.

They already did, Hugh thought with a soft sigh. Ever since the news of his relationship with Mads had burst out, he felt as though the press gave him no peace.

It was bad enough that they had to deal with the press almost camped out on Mads' doorstep, following them everywhere they went. He didn't want to give them even the slightest bit of encouragement. If he did, then they would take that inch and turn it into a mile.

He wasn't going to give them even the slightest bit of attention. He was used to ignoring the press; this was no different than other times that he'd walked right past them.

He felt like he was under glass, in a fishbowl.

Nothing that he hadn't dealt with before, but this time, the scrutiny was even closer than it had been at any other time. He hadn't asked for this.

Neither he nor Mads had wanted to deal with anything like this. They hadn't wanted their relationship to become public in the way it had, but things had gotten out of control.

Hugh sighed again, ducking his head as he got into the cab that was taking him home. If he was going to live here with Mads, then sooner or later, he would have to get a car. He couldn't keep taking cabs to every place he went, especially since he was perfectly capable of driving.

He had to get himself out of this depression, he told himself firmly as the car started forward and he settled back in the seat. It was doing him no good.

He and Mads had to keep ignoring the press, and act as though there was nothing unusual about their lives. They couldn't let the public control them.

The fans, the _real_ fans, didn't care who he was with, and would be happy that _he_ was happy, Hugh told himself. It was only people who had narrow minds and even narrower ideologies who had a problem about who he fell in love with.

This was _his_ life. He wasn't going to live it to suit other people, people who didn't even know him, people who had nothing to do with him.

It only took a few moments for the car to reach the house; he got out and walked quickly up the sidewalk, pulling out his keys as he went.

Home. Home to Mads, where the two of them could be together.

Of course, his boyfriend wasn't here at the moment; he was still on the set, filming some scenes that Hugh hadn't been in. But he would be home in another couple of hours.

Then the two of them could relax and enjoy the evening, Hugh thought as he flopped down onto the living room couch and kicked off his shoes. He rested his head back against the cushion, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, then exhaling it slowly.

There was no sense in getting upset about the paparazzi. They weren't worth the trouble; they would be around no matter what he did.

The best thing he could do was ignore them, let them do their thing, and weather the storm of publicity as best he could. It had been inevitable, after all; he and Mads weren't going to hide forever. They'd simply been forced to come out before they were ready.

They would deal with this, and they'd get past it, Hugh told himself. And in the end, they would be just as strong as they always had been. Stronger, even.

Nothing was going to tear them apart. They'd waited too long for each other.

They had taken ten years to find each other, and now that they had, they'd made a commitment. One that he meant to last for the rest of their lives.

If anybody had a problem with that, then those people didn't need to be in their lives. They weren't worth the trouble it would take to be upset with them; anyone who didn't support their relationship wasn't the kind of person Hugh wanted to be around.

They had both known from the beginning that this might not be easy, but Hugh knew in his heart that being together was worth it.

Whatever the world threw at them, they would stand strong. Together.


	27. Blood in the Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads can't help but worry just how the negativity towards their relationship in the press might affect Hugh.

Mads scowled as he turned away from the photographer, shielding his face.

These vultures could certainly sense blood in the water, couldn't they? They were circling Hugh -- and himself -- like sharks, ready to take a bite at any moment.

Hugh's former wife had started to give interviews, painting him as some sort of horrendous person who had no right to joint custody of their son because he was involved with a man. The horrible attitude she expressed made Mads angrier than he had ever been.

The love that he and Hugh shared was pure and beautiful. There was nothing untoward about it; theirs was a truer love than any he had ever known.

Yet simply because they were two men, so many people condemned them.

It was wrong, Mads thought bitterly. It was wrong that two people who loved each other as much as he and Hugh did should be made to seem like monsters.

This wasn't going to change how the felt about each other, and he hoped desperately that it wouldn't affect their relationship. The disparagement of what they shared only made him want to fight, to prove that there was nothing wrong with their relationship. He hoped that Hugh felt the same.

If his boyfriend didn't want to fight those negative reactions .... Mads slipped into the driver's seat of his car, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

He didn't even want to think about the possibility that Hugh might not feel the same way. If he didn't, then their relationship could very well fall apart.

That would destroy him, he thought bleakly. It would be as though a knife had been plunged into his heart, and his lifeblood had come pouring out of him, leaving a dry, useless husk. Without Hugh in his life, there was nothing for him. His heart would be shattered.

Oh, he would keep going. He would still exist. But his life would be nothing more than a mere existence without Hugh, not a real _life_ at all.

He didn't want to live like that, and he didn't want Hugh to do it, either.

There _were_ people who loved and supported them, and he would simply have to look to them for encouragement during these dark days.

Those people didn't want their blood, their heads on a platter. They only wanted happiness for the two of them, a life together that was free of the disparagement and condemnation that so many people flung at them. He wanted that life, too, more than anything.

They _would_ have that life, Mads told himself firmly as he fastened his seat belt and started the car to drive home. It might not be easy, but they would come through this.

And they would hopefully be even stronger for all that they had endured.


	28. Don't Toss Us Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads worries that all of the unwanted media attention will make Hugh turn away from their relationship.

Mads brushed a kiss across Hugh's forehead, sighing as he did so.

Hugh leaned his head back against Mads' shoulder, looking up at his lover with a slight frown between his brows. "Mads, is something wrong?" he asked, his words hesitant.

Mads didn't want to admit that there was indeed something wrong; he wished that they could simply push aside all of the problems that being outed before they were ready to show their relationship to the world. But this was something that he had to talk to Hugh about, before he let his paranoia get the better of him.

"I wouldn't say that there is something _wrong_ ," he began, shaking his head. "But there is something I want to talk with you about, my love. If only to ease my own mind."

"What is it?" Hugh asked, starting to sit up, but then relaxing back into Mads' embrace as the other man leaned back against the comfortable pillows of their bed. "Whatever questions you have, I'm more than willing to answer. I have no secrets from you, Mads. I'm an open book when it comes to the two of us."

"I know that, my sweet," Mads whispered, brushing another kiss across Hugh's cheek. "I'm really not sure of how to ask this, and I don't want you to feel disparaged because I am."

Hugh shook his head, his frown intensifying. "I won't feel that way, love. Ask away."

Mads took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He wasn't sure just how to put this, or if there was any good way of saying it. So he would just ask the question, and hope that Hugh didn't take it badly.

"I'm .... worried that all of this will drive a wedge between us," he said, his voice very soft. "I'm afraid that you will get tired of having to deal with all of the notoriety and leave me, Hugh. I know that you wouldn't go back to her, not after all the trouble she's caused, but I worry that you won't want to stay with me."

Hugh was silent for a few moments, and Mads could almost feel his heart constricting with fear. What if Hugh _did_ decide to leave him, that this relationship wasn't what he wanted?

What if Hugh decided to toss them away because of all this?

He wouldn't be able to bear that. He had already lost Hugh once, and they'd spent ten long years away from each other, both of them wishing for a second chance.

Now, they had been given that second chance, and Mads knew that he would do anything in the world to keep Hugh by his side. No matter what sacrifices he might have to make, he would make them gladly. Hugh meant more to him than anything in the world, and their relationship was the most important thing in his life.

Hugh was precious to him; his boyfriend had to know that. He only hoped that Hugh felt the same way about him, and that everything that they were dealing with now wouldn't tear them apart for good.

"You mean more to me than I could ever put into words, my love," he managed to whisper past the lump in his throat. "Please don't toss us away because of this, Hugh. We can see this through."

Hugh raised a hand to stroke soft fingertips down Mads' cheek; those blue eyes met his, and Mads almost wanted to burst into tears. He could see all the love in the world in those blue depths; he saw no indication that Hugh would end their relationship, that he would simply turn his back and walk away.

"Mads, that's never going to happen," Hugh said softly, his blue gaze fixed on Mads' face. "I could never leave you. Not after how long it took us to find each other again."

Mads closed his eyes, feeling relief wash through him.

He should have known that Hugh would answer in this way; he should never have doubted his boyfriend. This wasn't enough to make Hugh leave him, to give up all that they shared.

There had been no reason for him to have doubts; those doubts weren't worthy of Hugh, or of the relationship they shared. He felt ashamed of himself for ever thinking that Hugh would want to toss them away; he knew in his heart that their relationship meant just as much to Hugh as it did to him.

If their relationship meant that Hugh would have to go through a court battle to keep shared custody of his son, then Mads intended to be right there beside him. He wouldn't toss them away, either.

Together, the two of them would get through this, and be stronger in the end.

Mads buried his face in Hugh's dark curls, inhaling the vanilla scent of his shampoo. All he wanted to do was to hold this man in his arms forever, to never let him go.

"Don't ever think that I would toss us away, either," he murmured, wanting Hugh to know that his doubts were erased for good. "I would never even consider ending what we have, Hugh. You're right -- it took us far too long to find each other again for us to give up this chance we've been given to be together."

"I know you wouldn't," Hugh told him, his voice soft. One hand stroked Mads' hair, the other arm moving around his waist to hug him close. "Mads, we belong together. Neither of us would throw away what we have."

Mads nodded, raising his head to look into Hugh's intensely blue eyes, the eyes that had mesmerized him since they had first met all those years ago. Neither of them would ever put what they had at risk; their relationship meant too much to them both. Neither of them need have no fears about being tossed away.

His fears put to rest, he snuggled under the covers and reached to turn off the light, closing his eyes as he settled down to sleep with his boyfriend in his arms.

He had the definite feeling that he would sleep like a baby tonight.


	29. A Relaxing Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads always enjoys the mornings that he and Hugh spend together.

Mads looked across the breakfast table at Hugh, unable to keep back his smile.

He loved looking at Hugh in the morning when they first got up; his boyfriend looked so adorably rumpled, bis blue eyes sleepy, his dark curls tousled.

To him, there was no sight more beautfiul than Hugh in the morning. Yes, there was, he corrected himself silently. There was Hugh when he first woke up, lying there in bed next to him.

Nothing could be better than that, Mads told himself, grinning. Just the idea of what Hugh looked like when they first awakened, before he had put any clothes on, made him want to sweep his boyfriend up in his arms and carry him back to bed, to spend the rest of the day there.

Unfortunately, they couldn't do that; neither of them had a free day today. They were needed on the set, and though they didn't have to be there early, they still had to work.

But they had the next couple of hours to take their time getting ready, having breakfast and taking a shower together. It was, to Mads, the best part of the day.

He could imagine doing this for the rest of his life.

Of course, he didn't want them to be dealing with the problems that Hugh's ex-wife was forcing into their lives at the moment, but he was sure that they would get past all of this.

After all, sooner or later, custody of their son would be worked out between them, and their lives would be able to go back to normal. At least, he hoped they would.

He didn't doubt that the custody battle would be long and bitter, and he could only hope that Hugh would come out on the winning side. Neither of them would have full custody, Mads was sure of that. But he didn't intend to let that horrible woman refuse to grant Hugh the right to spend time with his child.

Whatever they had to do to make sure that a fair custody settlement was worked out, they would do, Mads promised himself. And Hugh would _not_ be painted as an immoral monster.

Besides, that woman hadn't exactly been a spotless princess herself, he thought in disgust. She had been gallivanting around with other men before she and Hugh had even separated.

His boyfriend was _not_ the immoral party in this case.

Mads sighed softly, pushing those thoughts aside. They weren't what he wanted to think about, not now, not when he and Hugh had already spent a relaxing morning together.

No, he wanted to think much more cheerful thoughts today. He wanted the two of them to look at each other and smile, thinking about the night they had just spent making love and then sleeping in each other's arms, and about what they would do again tonight once they were back home.

He didn't want to think about the tabloids that were still publishing lurid -- and untrue -- stories about their relationship, or about the reporters who were still bothering Hugh.

His former wife was spending a great of time talking to them, throwing accusations at Hugh about his supposed "long term" relationship with Mads. Everything that she said was untrue.

Mads hated that Hugh was having to deal with such a shrew, but he hoped that this circus wouldn't have to go on for much longer. She already had a new man in the clutches of her greedy talons, and once they settled the custody case, Hugh would be free of her.

His own divorce hadn't been acrimonious at all; in fact, he and his ex-wife were still friends. It was one of the things that Mads was grateful for in his life. 

If only his boyfriend's problems could have been worked out so simply.

But even though they had problems to deal with, they were happy together, Mads thought with a smile. Their problems seemed small compared to the rewards of finally being with each other.

Hugh made him happier than he could have ever dreamed of being. Just waking up in the morning next to him was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to Mads.

He had always loved Hugh; he'd long ago accepted that this man was the true love of his life, even though he'd thought then that they could never be together. The fact that now they _were_ together, and making their relationship work, felt like the most incredible triumph he could ever achieve.

Reaching out to grasp Hugh's hand in his own, he smiled as his boyfriend looked up at him, blinking sleep from his eyes. "Penny for your thoughts," Hugh said softly, squeezing his fingers gently.

"I was thinking about you," Mads murmured, not taking his gaze from Hugh's face. He couldn't have looked away even if he had wanted to; Hugh's beauty always mesmerized him. "About us."

Hugh tilted his head to the side, a laugh bubbling from his lips.

"That's always a good thing to think about," he said, smiling at his lover before squeezing his hand again and twining their fingers together. "I think about us a lot."

"In a good way, I hope?" Mads couldn't help asking. He knew that Hugh loved the two of them being together just as much as he did, but sometimes he just needed to hear the words.

"Of course, in a good way," Hugh answered with another smile. He squeezed Mads' fingers again, then reluctantly let go, pushing his chair back and standing up. "I need to take a shower," he said, running a hand through his hair and glancing at his boyfriend. "Care to join me?"

Oh, Hugh knew exactly what to say and do to make his heart speed up, and his blood rush through his veins. Mads had to smile at those words; Hugh knew just what his answer would be.

"You've just made me an offer that I can't refuse," he said softly, getting to his feet and winding an arm around Hugh's waist as the two of them headed for the stairs.

Mads was definitely looking forward to the rest of their morning.


	30. Good Mood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh tries to hold on to the good mood that making love with Mads has put him in, despite the worries forcing their way into his mind.

Making love with Mads could always put him in a good mood.

Hugh turned on the shower water, then stepped in and pulled the curtain closed behind him as he raised his face to the spray and closed his eyes.

The warm water relaxed his muscles, sluicing away the last of the tension he'd been feeling. This had been such a great morning; he wished that every day could be like this, that they could simply ignore the things that were being said about him in the gossip rags that seemed to be everywhere.

Mads was better at avoiding them than he was. Normally, he didn't care what the press said about him, but calling him a bad father was completely uncalled for.

He wasn't a bad parent simply because he was in love with a man.

Of course, he should have expected that his ex-wife would say that about him. She would be out to get full custody of their son, and to do that, she would vilify Hugh in any way possible. He almost couldn't blame her for that; she knew that fighting dirty would always yield the best results.

But she also knew that calling him a bad father was a horrible lie.

He had always been a good parent. He'd always gone out of his way to do what was best for Cyrus, and he knew that being completely severed from his father wouldn't be good for the child.

Not to mention that his heart ached whenever he thought of not seeing his son again. Yes, he would fight for custody; there was nothing else he could do.

He only hoped that everything the gossip magazines said wasn't taken to heart.

At least no outright lies had been made up about him yet, Hugh thought, sighing again as he raised his face to the warm spray and let the water run over his body. His "immorality" in being involved with a man, in openly living with Mads, had been hinted at, but no direction accusations had been thrown at him.

At least, not yet. He didn't doubt that they would come later.

He had to hold on to that wonderful mood that he'd been in when he had come in here to take a shower. He couldn't let it dissipate into worry so quickly.

There was no reason to let that good mood slip away. Things weren't so bad at this point; his ex-wife might be trying to fling mud at him, but none of it seemed to be sticking. He was going to take her to court and fight for shared custody of his son if he had to -- and he wasn't going to back down.

Hugh stood under the water for a few moments longer, letting the warmth relax him, then he turned the spray off before it could get cold and stepped out of the shower.

It was time to start the day, and see what the future held in store.


	31. In His Corner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh receives a letter that he's been dreading.

He had known this day would come.

Hugh sat at the breakfast table, staring at the letter in his hands. He'd had to sign for it, and he had known that it contained bad news.

It was from his former wife's lawyer, informing him that she intended to sue for full custody of their son. The words seemed to shimmer in front of his eyes, barely readable.

He wasn't considered a "proper father" or a "good influence" on their child because of his relationship with another man. he would probably be able to get visitation rights, of course; he was assured of that. But they would be supervised visitations, and his son would never be alone with him?

What the hell? he asked himself angrily. Did they think that he was some kind of pervert who would molest his own child just because he was in love with a man?

Well, that was a dumb question. Apparently, they did.

He wasn't going to be kept away from his son. He wasn't going to have his child told that he was a bad person, or a bad father, because of who he loved. The very idea of it was ludicrous. Gay couples adopted children all the time, and those kids turned out happy and well-adjusted.

She was trying to blacken his name and his reputation, of course. And she thought that she'd come out of this looking like the perfect mother.

Never mind that she had broken up a marriage, luring a man away from his pregnant wife in the past -- and then she'd dumped that guy without a second thought.

 _She_ was the terrible person, not him, Hugh thought, resisting the urge to crumple the letter in one hand and toss it into the trash. And he would prove it. He would drag her name through the mud in court if he had to, if that was what it took to get joint custody of his son.

It looked like he'd have a very ugly battle in front of him.

But he would have Mads by his side, he told himself, trying to calm down. He would have the man he loved in his corner -- and together, they would emerge victorious.

He and Mads would hire great lawyers, and they would fight in every way they could for him to get custody of Cyrus. He wasn't going to let that strict, regimented bitch of an ex-wife destroy his son's life or make him out to be a terrible person. His child wouldn't be poisoned towards him.

Yes, he would fight for custody. That was all he could do. He hadn't wanted to be pushed into an ugly, protracted battle, but if that was what she wanted, she'd get it.

Hugh clenched his teeth, then took a deep breath.

He'd have to push back his anger, think with a cool head, and concentrate on winning this fight. But he _would_ win. He had no doubt whatsoever of that.


	32. Endangered Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads had thought that being with Hugh would be easy, but that isn't proving to be the case.

Mads sighed as he glanced out of the kitchen window at the people outside.

There weren't that many of them, and they were all trying to act as though they weren't attempting to look into the front windows to see if Hugh was here.

At the moment, his boyfriend was upstairs, taking a shower. He hoped that the few people ambling down the street trying to look innocuous would be gone by the time Hugh came downstairs; he didn't want the man he loved to be upset further by all of this.

But of course, they probably wouldn't be gone. No, they would hang around and try to get a glimpse of Hugh, and maybe even attempt to take pictures of him.

Thanks to his former wife, he had become a scarlet character.

And all because he had fallen in love with a man, Mads thought with another sigh, shaking his head. There was nothing wrong with two men loving each other, but she couldn't see that.

It seemed as though the paradise of being with Hugh had turned into a hell that neither of them had wanted to deal with. Because of that horrible woman and her prejudices, their world had been turned upside down, and Hugh was being forced to live with his reputation being maligned.

Well, at least there were those who _did_ stand by them, Mads told himself. The people they worked with, their friends, were all on Hugh's side.

It remained to be seen what other accusations that woman would pull out of a hat, just as though she was some kind of conjurer playing magic tricks.

Whatever she said, he and Hugh would counter it somehow. Hugh hadn't done anything wrong; divorces happened every day, and a man falling in love with another man wasn't unusual. It was no reason to try to take a man's child away from him, a child who he loved dearly.

Mads had mistakenly thought that being with Hugh would be simple, something that they could just fall into naturally. He hadn't counted on all of this.

But he wasn't going to let their paradise be destroyed.

Somehow, he would find a way to make things work out for them. He would hire the best lawyers, be right there beside Hugh in the courtroom every day.

Their paradise wasn't going to be ruined by the idiocy of someone from Hugh's past. He would make sure of that, though at the moment, he didn't know just how he'd manage it. But he wouldn't let his happiness with Hugh be marred, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt the man he loved.

He would shield Hugh from all the pain that he could, and hope that things would work out as they wanted. If they didn't, he knew they would have a bumpy road ahead of them.

Their paradise was indeed endangered, in ways that neither of them had ever dreamed of.


	33. Yellow Streak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh really doesn't want to face the reporters who expect some sort of comment from him.

"I suppose I have a yellow streak painted down my back."

Mads looked up when Hugh sighed, and watched as his boyfriend peeked through the curtains on the front windows, then let them fall back into place.

"I really don't want to face any of those reporters," Hugh sighed, shaking his head as he sat down heavily on the couch next to Mads. "I can't believe that they're making such a fuss over this. Actors come out all the time. It shouldn't be such a huge news story. I'm not that interesting."

"Ah, but you are in the middle of a custody battle for your child," Mads reminded him, his voice soft and gentle. "And you know reporters. They can sense a scandal."

Hugh sighed again, nodding glumly in response.

"Are you afraid to face them, my love?" Mads asked, a slight frown puckering his brow. "You may have to sooner or later, Hugh. You can't hide from them forever."

"I know," Hugh said, glancing towards the window and scowling. "I just don't want to talk to them. I know that I need to, but really, the paparazzi have no right to try to delve into my personal life. They really don't need to know anything that they can't learn from my publicist."

"Though you know that if they don't get what they consider a 'story,' they'll simply make up lies," Mads said, keeping his voice soft and soothing. "That would be far worse."

"Don't I know it!" Hugh groaned softly, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the soft cushions of the couch. "I've been through that wringer before."

"We all have, my sweet," Mads told him, sliding closer to his boyfriend and slipping an arm around his waist to pull him closer. "I know you're afraid of inadvertently giving out too much personal information, love, but perhaps giving them a bit of a tidbit would satisfy them."

Hugh nodded slowly, sighing again as he rested his head on Mads' shoulder. "I suppose you're right, love. I may have a yellow streak on my back, but I need to push it away."

"That you do," Mads said with a soft smile and a nod.

"I know," Hugh told him, raising his head from his boyfriend's shoulder and managing a small smile. "And I will. But not at the moment. I'm still feeling a bit too unsettled."

Mads nodded again, moving one hand up and down Hugh's arm. He wanted to be as supportive as he could; he knew that Hugh was going through a difficult time, and he was going to be by his love's side through all of it. If he was in his lover's place, he would be afraid, too.

"We'll face them together, my sweet," he said, turning his head to brush a gentle kiss across Hugh's parted lips, a kiss that spoke of more to come later.

Within moments, they had both forgotten everything but being in each other's arms.


	34. The Devil You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh doesn't want to give any interviews about his relationship with Mads.

"I don't want to give any interviews."

Hugh sat at the kitchen table, his arms crossed over his chest, his cell phone lying on the table in front of him. He didn't want to pick it up when it rang.

The sound was insistent, and he knew who it was. It was his agent, insisting that he do some magazine interviews and confront the issue of his relationship with Mads.

His ex-wife had certainly been doing a lot of interviews, and badmouthing him in every one of them. His agent was sure that eventually, people would start to believe her lies about him, and that it would hurt his career to the point where he would be persona non grata in the film industry.

Hugh wasn't really worried about that; he was sure that he'd always be able to find work. He'd proven his talent many times over; being gay wasn't a stigma any more.

Still, it _was_ annoying to know that there were people who would believe the horrible things she said about him, simply because she was good at crying crocodile tears.

He really hated those interviews. He was dead set against doing any right now.

Mads sighed softly, leaning his chin on his hand as he regarded his boyfriend. "Hugh, it might be a good idea to do a few interviews. To let people know that you aren't ashamed of us."

"Ashamed?" Hugh's blue eyes widened; he shook his head, refusing to even countenance the word. "I'm not ashamed of us, Mads. I don't want you, or anyone else, to think that."

"Then why not do a few interviews with magazines that have always been complimentary of you?" Mads asked, his brows raising in question. "After all, better the devil you know, than the one you don't. Doing live interviews on talk shows, as you've been asked to, could be .... problematic."

"Oh, could it ever," Hugh said with a soft sigh. "I like those even less. You never know what kind of questions they'll throw at you -- and that you might not be comfortable answering."

And of course, because that was live television, he _had_ to answer. If he didn't, then it would look as though he was hiding something, and it would give his ex-wife more fuel for the fire.

That was the last thing he needed to do. She was already having a field day savaging him in the press -- and he had to put a stop to that, not give her more reason to do so. He had to show the world that he was comfortable with himself, and that he was doing nothing wrong by being in love with a man.

Mads was right, he told himself with a sigh. And so was his agent. He _had_ to start doing interviews, to give out his side of the story.

In the end, as long as a satisfactory custody agreement was reached, he would be happy. There had to be some kind o fhappy medium where everyone could have what they wanted.

Well, maybe not all that they wanted, but at least what would be fair.

At least he could somewhat control the questions that a magazine reporter would ask him, and he wouldn't be surprised by something in front of a live audience.

Hugh took a deep breath, nodding. "All right, then. You're right. Better the devil you know, than the one you don't know well and have no control over. I'll do some interviews."

"And I'll do them with you, if you would like me to," Mads said, his voice very soft, reaching to take Hugh's hand in his own. "You are not in this alone, Hugh. I am here with you, right beside you, every step of the way. Together, we will come through this. And we will be stronger for the battle."

Hugh couldn't help but smile at those words, twining his fingers with his boyfriend's and squeezing gently. Mads was right. This _would_ make them stronger.

He wasn't alone. He had this man by his side, and he knew that Mads' love and devotion would never waver. They'd get through this, and they would be all right in the end.

It was time to face the devil he knew, and look it directly in the eye.


	35. All of A Sudden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting in the green room to go out on camera with Mads on a talk show, Hugh is more nervous than he'd thought he would be.

Everything was happening so fast, moving at the speed of light.

It was hard to fathom, Hugh thought, adjusting his tie and watching the camera in the green room. He looked over at Mads, wondering if his boyfriend felt as nervous as he did.

The two of them were appearing on a talk show to discuss their relationship, and he wasn't sure that he was ready to be so public quite yet.

Of course, the whole world knew about the two of them. It had been public for quite some time, so why was he feeling so nervous about doing something that was inevitable? Sooner or later, he and Mads would have been asked to talk about themselves with the public. He'd known it would happen.

He just hadn't known that it would be so _soon_. It still felt far too early to be sharing his feelings with the world, to be so open about who he was.

Hugh took a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to push his doubts away. He had no reason not to talk freely and openly about his relationship with the man he loved.

It was time. It was really _past_ time.

He didn't want people twisting their relationship into something tawdry and cheap, when what they shared was true love, a love that he knew would last forever.

If they didn't want things to be twisted out of proportion, then they _had_ to face the figurative lions in their den. He wasn't ready, though. He was feeling rushed and unprepared.

But would he _ever_ be prepared for this? Hugh sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. Probably not. So even thought this felt as though it was being thrust on him all of a sudden, it was best that he jump in head first, holding Mads' hand and knowing that they were doing this together.

"Are you all right, love?" He opened his eyes when Mads spoke; he hadn't realized that his boyfriend was watching him, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine," he answered, managing a smile, though he knew that he probably looked as nervous as he felt. "Just a bit nervous, that's all. I'm not used to things like this."

"I know that talking about our personal life isn't something that you want to do," Mads told him, getting up from the couch where he'd been sitting and walking over to take Hugh's hand in his own, squeezing his fingers comfortingly. "But we won't get _too_ personal, sweetheart."

"I should hope not!" Hugh said with a laugh. "Really, I wasn't worried about that. I just wonder how people are going to react to this. We may get some bad publicity."

"And if we do, then we will deal with that when the time comes," Mads told him, his voice firm. "But I believe that most of our fans will support us wholeheartedly."

Hugh nodded. Mads _was_ right about that, he was sure.

He had no doubt that a lot of people would support them. And because of that support, he and Mads were going to hold their heads high, and be proud of who they were.

He wasn't ashamed of their relationship. He just hadn't really been ready to make it such public knowledge. But now that they had, there was nowhere to go but forward.

Hugh squeezed his boyfriend's hand gently before reluctantly letting go, taking a deep breath and mustering up his courage. He wasn't ashamed of who he was. He was going to walk out there with a smile on his face and confidence in his bearing, with the man he loved beside him.

There was no reason for him to feel nervous. He was baring himself to the world, in a way, and after this, there was no going back. It was just all happening so very _quickly_.

It might be happening all of a sudden, but he was going to face the world with a smile on his face, showing them that he wasn't afraid of being open and honest.

It was far past time that he stopped hiding.

He had no reason to hide. He was in love, and he was proud of the man he loved. He could move forward into the future beside this man, with no fears, with love on his side.

Hugh looked up as a production assistant came into the room to tell them that it was time for them to go out, to be on camera, to face the world. He smiled at Mads, squeezing his boyfriend's hand, not letting to. He wasn't going to let go of that hand, not now.

They were going to go out there to face the world with their hands entwined, showing everyone that they were together, that they had no shame and no fear.

"Ready for this, love?" he whispered, his nervousness evaporating.

"As ready as I can possibly be," Mads answered, his smile flashing at Hugh. The two of them followed the assistant to where they would go out on camera, waiting for their cue.

This might be happening all of a sudden, but, Hugh thought as they began to walk across the stage, they were meeting it head on, and turning the situation to their advantage.


	36. Confronting the Public

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh feels much better now that he and Mads have gone public with their relationship and told their side of the story.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would."

Hugh and Mads were back in the green room, and Hugh finally felt that he could let out a breath that he'd more or less been holding the entire time they'd been on camera.

He had been asked some questions that he'd felt were far too personal, but at the same time, he had wanted to address them, to confront the entire situation head-on, as it were. So he had held his temper in check and answered, even when he would have preferred to get up and walk away.

And now, he was glad that he'd done so. He had proclaimed that he was innocent of any wrongdoing in the way that he and his ex-wife had split. He had put the truth out there.

He hadn't done anything wrong, and he knew it.

He had a clear conscience; his innocence might be in doubt as far as his wife and her fans were concerned, but he knew that he was blameless.

It wouldn't have been right for him to stay with her; he had been living a lie for far too long. He knew that he was gay, that he fancied men, and that he didn't love her. What good would it have done either of them for him to continue to lie about those facts, and continue to be miserable?

Keeping up appearances wasn't worth the damage that it would do.

So he'd done what he had to do; he'd been honest, both with himself and with her, and now it was time to be honest with the public, too. After all, he hadn't been with anyone, either male or female, while he was still married to his ex-wife and living with her. He had behaved with honor.

He had been the one to end their marriage, yes, but he'd done ti for the right reasons. And now, the truth about those reasons, and about his relationship with Mads, was out there.

He was glad that he'd finally confronted the public.

"Yes, it did go well," Mads said softly, breaking into his thoughts. His boyfriend reached out to take his hand, twining their fingers together and giving Hugh a soft smile.

Hugh smiled back, his heart in his eyes. Mads had been right there beside him; the man he loved had stood with him, and would continue to do so. His ex-wife could throw all the vitriol that she wanted to; in the end, he and Mads would still be together, and she couldn't change that.

He was happy, happier than he'd been in a very long time. He had someone he loved in his life, and together, they would face all the obstacles ahead of them.

They'd already faced one of those obstacles, and had come out on top.

He just hoped that they'd stay on top of whatever else loomed up in their path.


	37. Worth Anything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh wonders if Mads feels that their relationship is worth all that they've had go through, and will have to deal with in the future.

"Do you think that everything we've done has been worth it, Mads?"

Hugh's voice was very soft, barely a whisper. Mads lifted his head from the book he was reading, a frown furrowing his brow as he marked his place and closed it.

"Of course I do," he said, his voice also soft, and, he hoped, soothing. "Hugh, you aren't having second thoughts about us, are you? I hope not."

Hugh shook his head, his intense blue gaze meeting Mads' concerned eyes. "No, of course not," he murmured, his voice slowly gaining strength as he continued to speak. "I just worry that sometimes you might feel like you've taken on a bit more than you might want to have to chew."

Mads shook his own head firmly, leaning forward from the chair he was sitting in to place a hand on Hugh's where it rested on the arm of the couch.

"Hugh, everything that we have done -- being together, coming out publicly, and deciding to take on a court battle for custody of Cyrus -- has been worth it for me," he said, meaning every word.

Hugh nodded slowly, closing his eyes and sighing in relief.

"I just ..... I know that when we first got together, you didn't sign on for this," he whispered, swallowing hard. "I don't think either of us expected things to happen the way they have."

"How could we have expected it?" Mads asked, squeezing Hugh's hand gently. "We could not have known that the paparazzi would take pictures of us."

"We should have guessed," Hugh said miserably. "We should have known that they'd be interested in us. We should have been more careful. Then we wouldn't have had to come out until we were ready, and comfortable with it. We wouldn't have been more or less forced into it."

Mads shook his head, wanting Hugh to understand just how he felt. He didn't want his love to feel as though there was anything wrong with the love that they shared.

He could understand Hugh's doubts. After all, he had a great deal to lose in this upcoming custody battle. It wasn't odd for him to doubt himself, and everything around him.

But he would do all that he could to assuage those doubts, and give Hugh confidence.

He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts before he spoke.

"Hugh, I am not uncomfortable with coming out," he said, the sincerity evident in his tone. "I would not have chosen to come out as we did, but I'm not unhappy with it."

"You're not?" Hugh asked, blinking in surprise. "I thought you'd think that it wasn't worth it, all the controversy and all the publicity that we've had to deal with."

Mads sighed softly, squeezing Hugh's hand again. "It was not the way that I would have chosen for us, true," he said, reiterating the words he'd said before. "But I am not ashamed of loving you, Hugh. I want the world to know how I feel. I will shout it from the rooftops, if you'd like me to."

Hugh couldn't help but smile at that; Mads raised his hand to trace the tiny crinkles that formed around his eyes when he smiled. How he loved those little lines!

"Everything that you and I do to protect what we share is worth it to me, Hugh," he whispered, gazing deep into his lover's eyes. "You are the most important person in my life, and always will be."

Hugh swallowed hard, closing his eyes and grasping Mads' hand.

"I knew that," he murmured, his voice sounding choked. He cleared his throat, opening his eyes, their blue depths shining, bright with unshed tears. "You don't know how much that means to me."

"Actually, I believe that I do," Mads said quietly. "Because it means everything to me to know that you feel the same, my love. To know that you have no regrets about us."

"I've never had any regrets," Hugh said, his voice gaining strength. "Not from the first time you kissed me. I've wanted to be with you for ten years, Mads. I've loved you for so long. And now that we're finally together, and I know that you love me, too, how could I regret any of it?"

"So, was it worth it in the long run?" Mads asked, unable to hold back a smile of pure happiness at Hugh's words. "I think it was, but I want to hear it from you, sweetheart."

"It was worth anything and everything we have to deal with," Hugh said very softly. "I wouldn't give up being with you for anything, Mads. I love you, and I always will."

Mads stood up, pulling Hugh to his feet as he did.

He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, holding Hugh close against him, loving the feel of that slender body in his arms, wanting nothing more than to be close to the man he loved.

He'd heard all that he needed to hear, and Hugh's words had made his heart sing. Now, he intended to take his lover upstairs to their bedroom, and show him just how much those words were appreciated.

Mads couldn't help smiling as he took Hugh's hand and led him towards the stairs.

This was going to be a very pleasant evening indeed.


	38. In From the Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mads' love for him makes Hugh feel as though he's come out of the cold into a world of warmth and light.

Hugh sighed softly as he closed the door behind him, feeling relieved.

He hadn't run into any reporters on the way back from the studio to Mads' house. It seemed that the nine days' wonder of their relationship had been replaced by another news item.

He was glad of that. He'd become more than a little tired of feeling as though he had to explain himself, when really, the two of them owed no one any reasons for why they were together.

Even his former wife had become less strident about their relationship, even though Hugh knew that the court battle for sole custody of their son was going to be brutal. She hadn't backed down about that; she still insisted that he wasn't a fit father just because he was in a relationship with another man.

But they would prove her wrong, he thought, his spirits rising. He and Mads would stand up for themselves in court, and prove to the world that they were good parents.

He wasn't going to give up custody of his son. He would even be willing to share custody with his ex-wife, though he was sure that she would pour vitriol about him into their child's mind.

At the moment, he was just thankful that they were no longer in the news.

Hugh had known that the feeding frenzy of the tabloids would slow down at some point. He had expected it to take longer than it had, but he was glad that it was over.

Of course, once the court case for custody of Cyrus started, they would probably be splashed all over the headlines again. His ex-wife would make sure of that.

Still, he and Mads would hold their heads high, and they would fight for joint custody of Cyrus. He wasn't going to insist that he have sole custody; after all, his ex was the child's mother, and she had a right to be with him, too. Hugh didn't see why they couldn't share custody, and be civil to each other.

But he wouldn't give up his son. She should know that by now.

He had Mads beside him all the way, supporting him, giving him all the love that he needed to get through this. He was more grateful for that support than he could put into words.

He felt as though he had come in from the cold, that he'd emerged from a dark, lonely, gloomy existence into a place that was filled with light, love, and hope.

Having Mads in his life and in his heart was a blessing.

He'd never felt this kind of love for anyone before, and he was sure that no one had ever loved him in the way that Mads did. This was an unconditional love, a love that asked for nothing no matter how much it gave. This was a love that wrapped him in warmth, that made him feel wanted and needed.

No, he had never experienced that kind of love with anyone else. A love that made him feel as though he'd come out of the cold into an extraordinary warmth.

Not just a physical warmth, but a warmth of the heart and soul. He had searched for that all of his life, and in the past, he'd settled for less than that love. But he never would again.

He would never have to simply settle again, Hugh told himself with a soft smile.

He wouldn't have to wonder if the person he was with truly loved him, if that love would be a safe haven for him, a shelter where he could come in from the cold.

Mads' love for him was true and steadfast, a love that he never had to wonder about. It was a love that had already stood the test of time, and would last for a lifetime.

And his love for Mads was the same. It would never fade, never die away. He knew that he would always hold his arms open for Mads to come in from the cold, just as his lover would do for him. The two of them belonged together; they always had, from the first time they had met.

They'd already wasted far too much time being apart, Hugh told himself. Now they wouldn't have to be apart any longer; they could make up for all that time.

They had an entire ahead of them, a life that would be filled with love and laughter. And Cyrus would be a part of that life. They would make a home together, and a family.

He wasn't going to let himself doubt that, not for one moment.

He shrugged out of his coat, smiling as he looked around him. He already loved this house, and loved living here. It felt like home to him, and hopefully, it would to Cyrus, as well.

They could both come in from the cold and into the warmth and joy of Mads' love. He was sure that his son would feel that warmth as surely as he had. Mads might not have met the child yet, but Hugh was sure that with his generous heart, his boyfriend would welcome the little boy into their lives.

After all, wasn't he standing by Hugh and supporting him in every way during all of this? And he would be there for the custody battle, as well. Mads was committed to both of them.

He and Cyrus were both loved, with a fierceness that couldn't be denied.

They'd both come in out of the cold, and that's where they would stay.

With a smile, Hugh headed into the kitchen to make dinner, knowing that Mads would be home soon.


	39. No Other Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh isn't looking forward to the coming custody battle for his child.

This custody battle was going to be brutal.

A part of him worried that he wouldn't win.

Hugh sighed, leaning back in his chair and letting the letter he'd been reading from his lawyer flutter to the table. He closed his eyes, sighing heavily.

His former wife was going to drag this out for as long as she could, and she seemed determined to drag his name through the mud. There was nothing she wasn't going to do in an attempt to get full custody of their son, including trying to make him seem like a bad father.

Nothing could be further from the truth, and she knew it. But in her eyes, because he was now in a relationship with a man, that gave her more ammunition.

And she wouldn't hesitate to use it against him.

Even if he and Mads hadn't been outed, this custody battle would have thrust them and their relationship into a bright spotlight. They wouldn't have been able to hide for long.

Really, he didn't want to hide, Hugh thought with a frown. He was proud to be with Mads; he didn't feel that there was anything wrong with him having a relationship with someone he loved, It shouldn't matter to anyone whether he was with a man or a woman. It was his business.

But of course, there would always be people who would think that two men would be the wrong people to raise a little boy. And his ex-wife was one of those people.

She would do anything to rain on their parade, to cast aspersions on his character. He would just have to do all that he could to counter those accusations.

Though he wasn't going to let himself sink to her level, he vowed, his hands clenching into fists. She could bring all of the dark clouds that she wanted into this custody battle, but he wouldn't fight fire with fire. He wasn't going to fling mud at her simple to sully her reputation.

No, he would fight fair, even if she didn't. Though if his lawyer thought that he could lose custody of Cyrus by not fighting dirty, then he might have no other choice.

He wasn't going to lose his child. That couldn't happen.

Hugh took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. This was no time to get angry and start thinking irrationally. He needed to keep his wits about him.

Yes, there were dark clouds hovering over them, but the sun would eventually come out. He simply had to be remain calm and steadfast, and trust that the courts would see things his way. He would have to believe in justice, and hope that people knew he was a good father.

Those clouds would disperse, in time. He had to believe that. If he didn't, then the battle was already halfway lost before it had even begun.

He just wanted all of this to be over and done with.

He had nothing to hide.


	40. The Clouds Have Lifted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh can't help worrying about the upcoming custody battle, but Mads always knows what to say to make him feel better.

Hugh looked up as Mads sat down on the couch next to him.

He gave his lover a wan smile as the other man took his hand; he knew that it was a pale imitation of his usual happy smile, and that he looked stressed.

"Hugh, what is the matter?" Mads asked softly, twining their fingers together and squeezing his hand gently. "I know that you are worried about the custody battle, but I don't believe you need to be. We are going to win this, and even if you don't get sole custody, you won't lose Cyrus."

Hugh nodded, swallowing hard, wanting to believe his lover, but still worried about what the outcome of the custody hearing would be.

He couldn't bear losing his son. That would be a fate worse than death.

Of course, he couldn't be there for Cyrus every day. He had work commitments. But no parent these days could do that; there were very few parents who simply stayed at home.

The idea that he could possibly lose custody of his son, and only have visitation rights -- supervised visitations, at that -- terrified him. He didn't want Cyrus to grow up having poison poured into his ear, thinking of him as some sort of degenerate pervert just because he was in love with a man.

But that was exactly what could happen. The thought made him want to dissolve into tears, but he knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't be that vulnerable.

He had to stand up and fight. He needed to hold on to anger at the attitude that his ex-wife was taking, rather than let that attitude make him feel helpless.

Tears wouldn't do him any good. But neither crying nor being angry would dissipate the black clouds that seemed to hang over his head every time he thought about the upcoming court battle for his child. Those clouds seemed to press down him, making it hard to breathe.

It was a good thing he wasn't still filming, Hugh thought with a sigh. This would affect his performance onscreen; he'd be a wreck, unable to concentrate. 

He took a deep breath. He had to think more positively.

Finally, he made himself answer Mads' question. "You know what's wrong, love. I know that I shouldn't be so worried, but I can't get all of this out of my mind."

"You need to not worry so much, my love," Mads said, smiling at him and squeezing his hand again. "We will not lose this fight. We will prove that we'll be good parents for Cyrus. It isn't going to be as bad as you think it will. Imagination will always paint a worse picture than reality."

Hugh nodded, feeling better as he contemplated Mads' words. Somehow, his boyfriend always seemed to know what to say to chase any dark thoughts away.

Miraculously, those dark clouds had lifted, and the sun shone again.


	41. A Pitched Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts about what's best for Cyrus spin through Hugh's mind before he enters the courtroom to begin the custody hearing.

Hugh took a deep breath, trying not to fidget.

He and Mads were standing in the hallway in the court building, waiting to meet his lawyer and go into the courtroom in the first hearing of the custody trial.

He was trying to push his nervousness away; there was no reason for him to feel so frightened. He wasn't going to lose his son simply because he was gay; he knew that he and Mads could give Cyrus a good home, and that they would be attentive, loving parents.

More so than his ex-wife would, he thought, frowning. She seemed to be more intent on going to parties and being seen and photographed that on being a mother.

But he wasn't going to try for sole custody.

That wouldn't be fair to his child, Hugh told himself. Cyrus needed to have a relationship with his mother; he needed _both_ parents in his life.

It didn't matter that they wouldn't be living together; they would manage to be civil to each other, for Cyrus' sake. He knew that they both loved the child they had created together, and that no matter how much his ex might hate him now, she wouldn't do anything to harm their son.

Today, they would go into the courtroom and oppose each other, but in the end, they would both do what was best for the child that they both loved.

Yes, there would be fireworks. Hugh fully expected his attorney to put forth his arguments with all the fire and passion that the man was known for expending.

Still, that fire wasn't going to burn anyone, not even his ex-wife. He would make sure that they both came out of this battle with rights to their son; he didn't want to completely take Cyrus away from her. He would only do that if she was sleeping around, and to his knowledge, she wasn't.

Well, if she was partying too much, drinking and doing drugs, he wouldn't want his child around her, he thought, another frown marring his brow.

Then, he would light some fireworks of his own.

But he wasn't going to make this a pitched battle, Hugh told himself firmly. It would be carried out with dignity, and when it was over, the result would be fair and balanced.

That was his hope, anyway. He had no wish to rob a mother of her child; he wanted his son to know both of his parents, to have at least something of a balanced home life. He didn't want Cyrus to grow up to be one of those children who hadn't had a good relationship with his parents.

His attorney approached the two of them, and Hugh took Mads' hand, suddenly feeling even more apprehensive. He hoped that this wouldn't turn into a raging battle.

Taking another deep breath, he followed the attorney into the courtroom.


	42. Persistent Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh feels weak and uncertain about the future after the first custody hearing.

Hugh sat down on a bench in the hallway, his legs shaking.

He didn't think that he could stand up any longer. They had left the courtroom not knowing what was going to happen; this was, after all, only a preliminary hearing.

His lawyer had presented his case well, he thought. But then again, so had his ex-wife's lawyer; and it was obvious from some of the remarks the man had made that he was outraged at the thought of two gay men -- well, bisexual, technically -- raising a child together.

It didn't seem to matter that Cyrus was _his_ child, that he and his ex had been married and had created that child together. All that mattered was that he was involved with a man.

The homophobia had been more than obvious.

Even his ex had thrown him glances across the courtroom that had reminded him of a venomous snake, ready to strike at any moment. Her glares had chilled his blood.

He didn't hate her. He might not love her any more -- and he wondered if he ever truly had -- but he didn't despise her as she so obviously did him. It was sad that they'd had to end like this, that they couldn't at least be friends for their child's sake. It would be hard to manage civility.

But somehow, he would manage to do it, for Cyrus' sake. And he would be strong, through this hearing, and afterwards. He wouldn't show any sign of weakness.

He wasn't weak. He never had been. But at the moment, he felt as though he was; he couldn't stand up, his knees felt rubbery, and he was breathing heavily.

His lover sat down beside him, slipping one arm around his waist. Hugh leaned his head gratefully against Mads' strong shoulder, closing his eyes. If Mads hadn't been here with him, right beside him through this whole ordeal, he wouldn't have been able to put up any show of strength.

The truth was, he was terrified of what would happen next. Cyrus wouldn't have to be here, but there would be one more day of legal wrangling.

He could only hope that the judge would see things his way.

He was trying to be fair. That was what he wanted; he didn't have any intention of taking a child away from his mother permanently. He wanted what was best for Cyrus.

But he wanted an outcome that would make everyone happy, and he had no idea at all if that would happen. As long as he still had joint custody of his son, equal time with Cyrus that matched up to what his ex-wife had, then he would be happy. That was all he needed.

The persistent weakness that pervaded his limbs made him feel like sliding to the floor, covering his face with his hands, and falling into oblivion. But he wouldn't let himself do that.

Tomorrow, he would find out what his reaction would be.


	43. A Final Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh is relieved over the outcome of his custody case.

Hugh walked out of the courtroom next to Mads, feeling dazed.

It had worked out. He had sole custody of Cyrus, and his ex-wife only had visitation rights. He had proved that he could be a better parent to his son than she could.

He really wasn't surprised at that, Hugh told himself. His lawyer had torn his former wife apart on the stand. He had proven that she was leading a wild life now -- that there were drunken parties at her new home, and that she was dating a succession of men.

Everyone had to agree that it wasn't the kind of environment for a small child to be raised in. It was obvious that Hugh could provide more security.

After all, he was in a stable, committed relationship.

It hadn't seemed to matter to the judge that they were two men who would be raising a little boy. There was no homophobic prejudice there.

Hugh was glad of that. He had been worried that victory wouldn't be his, that his ex-wife would get full custody of their son, and that she would do everything in his power to poison Cyrus against him, and make him think that he was a bad person for being gay.

But that wasn't going to happen. Cyrus was going to come home with him and Mads, and they were going to be able to raise the little boy.

Hugh had never been more thankful for anything in his entire life. His son was his now, and even though his mother would see him, she wouldn't be raising him.

Victory was theirs. He felt elated, as though he was walking on clouds -- but he also felt drained, as though he was a balloon that had been deflated. The energy had gone out of him, and he knew that he needed some time to collect himself and regain his strength.

Mads put an arm around him, guiding him to a bench in the hallway outside of the courtroom. They sat down together, and he turned to look at his boyfriend.

"We did it," Hugh whispered. "We won." 

Mads nodded, looking happy and confident. "Yes, we did, my love. We will bring Cyrus home tonight, and our lives together will begin. There is nothing to worry about."

Hugh nodded, feeling happiness course through him. They had won. Victory was his. He and Mads would have Cyrus, and the little boy would be raised well and safely. He wouldn't be around people who drank and partied; he would have a good life.

"No, there isn't," he said softly, taking his boyfriend's hand and squeezing it gently as he gazed into Mads' eyes. "Let's get Cyrus and go home. All three of us."

This was indeed a final victory. One that he was very thankful he'd won.


	44. Something From A Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having sole custody of his child feels like a dream come true for Hugh.

It all seemed like something from a dream.

It was still hard for Hugh to believe that he actually had sole custody of his son now. He had no more worries on that score; Cyrus would be well taken care of.

The little boy would have a safe and happy home with his father and Mads. It seemed unbelievable that they were now going to live in Toronto on a full-time basis, and that his child would grow up here. Unless, of course, they decided to move somewhere else.

That was always possible, he thought with a smile. They were already planning to get a condo in New York, so they would have a place to stay there.

His ex-wife had already moved to Los Angeles, thank goodness. She wouldn't see Cyrus very often. 

He knew that she would want to see Cyrus now and then, but he doubted that she would have much maternal feeling for the child of a man she now apparently hated.

It made him sad to realize that his son would grow up without really knowing his mother well, but that was something he'd have to deal with. There were a lot of children who grew up without knowing either of their parents; in that sense, Cyrus was lucky.

He might not live with both parents, but he would never doubt that Hugh and Mads loved him, and if he wasn't close to his mother, well, she had only herself to blame for that.

Just being able to take Cyrus home with them, and knowing that his child would be living with him permanently, was enough to make Hugh's heart soar.

Mads looked happy, too; Hugh was sure that his boyfriend would get to know Cyrus quickly, and that the two of them would form a bond. Mads had raised his own children, and Hugh knew that he loved kids; he had no doubt that he and Cyrus would get along wonderfully.

Everything was going so well that he couldn't help but wonder just when a monkey wrench would be thrown into the middle of all their happiness.

Nothing could go this perfectly forever, with no problems. Sooner or later, something would happen.

But he pushed that thought away, refusing to entertain it for the moment. He was going to enjoy having his son with him, and worry about anything else later.

It still felt like a dream when Mads stopped the car in front of the house, and Hugh looked down at his son, smiling at the little boy's expression of wonder. "We're home," he said softly, holding Cyrus' hand and squeezing it gently. "This is where we're going to live."

He opened the car door, then went to open the back door to take his son out of the car seat, carrying him up the front walk towards the house.

He was sure that this was one the best dreams he could ever have.


	45. Happy Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hugh contemplates what his future will be like with his family by his side.

This would be their happily ever after.

Hugh couldn't help smiling as he looked around the living room of the house he shared with Mads, the floor now strewn with Cyrus' toys.

They'd had the little boy with them for nearly a month, and Cyrus had settled into life here as easily as though he had always been living in this house.

They planned to get him a puppy soon; Hugh firmly believed that every little boy needed a dog, and Mads agreed with him. They had talked at length about what sort of dog to get, and they had finally agreed on a beagle or a spaniel of some kind.

Of course, Hugh thought with a soft laugh, if they went to the shelter and a dog happened to catch Cyrus' fancy and get along with him, that plan might go out of the window.

Whatever kind of dog they got for his son, he was sure that they would all love it, and the animal would become a treasured member of their family.

For a while, he hadn't believed they could have a happy ever after.

But this was proof that they could, he told himself firmly. They were all happy here, and he was sure that they would continue to build on that happiness.

He really did have everything he wanted here now that Cyrus was with them, Hugh reflected with a soft smile. His life felt utterly complete.

He was in a wonderful relationship with a man who he'd loved for years. His son was with them, and he now had sole custody of his child. Not to mention that he had a successful television show, and his career was at a high that it had never reached before.

Life was good, and he couldn't help feeling that it was only going to get better as they went along. At the moment, everything felt absolutely perfect.

Of course, he knew that perfect happiness wasn't possible, and that the good times had to be tempered with the bad for those good times to be appreciated.

But they would get through whatever life happened to throw at them.

Life wouldn't always be perfect. He knew that. Everyone went through their share of bad times; that was just something that every person should expect.

He'd never expected life to be perfect, Hugh told himself, but his had been better than most. He'd had a lot of breaks, and he was well aware of that fact.

He had grown up in a well-to-do family, and he'd had a lot of love and support from his parents. They had always encouraged him to follow his dreams, and they had helped him along when he was just starting his career. They were both very proud of him now.

Not only that, but his siblings had always been very close to him. There had never been any sibling rivalry, and they had long since outgrown fighting amongst themselves.

Cyrus would have that same kind of good life, he thought with a smile. His son would grow up with two loving fathers, and people who loved him.

His child would be lucky, and he would be much loved. They'd have to be careful not to spoil him, of course, but Hugh was sure that he and Mads could avoid doing that. After all, his boyfriend had raised his own children, and he knew how to deal with the ups and downs of having kids.

It was a good life, even a wonderful life. And even though they'd had to deal with some heartaches to get here, he liked where they were at the present time.

Could things really get better? Hugh wondered. Was it possible for him to be any happier than he was right now, at this particular moment in time?

He would have to just wait and see if that could happen.

Hugh didn't doubt that there would be some bad times mixed with the good ones ahead, and he was more than prepared to face them, with Mads by his side.

No one's life was perfect, even when the world might think that was true. There would always be little things that got to him, and big things that would seem devastating.

But as long as he had the man he loved by his side, hand in hand with him, together in all that they did, Hugh was confident that those bad things wouldn't be such catastrophes. He and Mads would always be able to navigate whatever the world handed them.

He'd had his share of lemons in the past, and he had always used them to make lemonade. He would keep doing that -- and now, he would have a partner to help him.

They would face life together, with their son -- he was already thinking of Cyrus as "theirs," not just his child -- and they would come out on the bright side.

It might not always be easy, but then, nothing worth having ever was.

Whatever challenges that life had to bring him, he would face them with Mads and his son, and the three of them would not only triumph, but thrive.

He truly believed that. Together, he and Mads could face anything in life. And having Cyrus with them was the icing on the cake for him.

Hugh couldn't imagine what was ahead for the three of them; he hoped that at some point, he and Mads would get married, and perhaps even adopt a little brother or sister for Cyrus. Their future was bright, and it was full of wonderful and enticing possibilities.

Getting up from the couch, Hugh moved across the room to pick up his son, smiling as Cyrus laughed delightedly and planted a wet kiss on his cheek.

When Mads' arms wrapped around him from behind, Hugh leaned back into the embrace, his smile growing wider, joy and contentment in his heart.

He had all of the happiness he'd ever dreamed of.

This was his happy ever after, he thought, right here with the two people he loved most in the world. His future looked bright, and he was eager to see where it would lead.

The future was wide open, not only for him, but for all three of them.

Whatever life gave him, he was ready to embrace the future with open arms, and an open heart. The future held so much in store for them all. 

Life didn't get any better than this.


End file.
